India Art Fair : Four Days of Culture, Creativity, and Collecting

The India Art Fair 2026, held in New Delhi from February 5–8, 2026, was the 17th edition of South Asia’s leading platform for modern and contemporary art.  It was hosted at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds, Okhla. As is the case normally,  the fair brought together an unprecedented scale of participation and creativity.

Key Highlights

• Scale & Participation
  • Featured 135 exhibitors, including 27 first-time participants such as gallerists, foundations, institutions, and design studios.
  • Over 125 pioneering galleries and institutions showcased works from from abroad.

East African photographer Thandiwe Muriu on embracing wax fabric and oral histories

And the Art Fair did not disappoint.It was an amazing art show with photography, art installations on glass,metal,wood, textiles and fibre. The most attractive element of the Art Fair is the degree of participation of foreign artists. This is an eyeopener for several young students & artists who are exposed to multifaceted ideas & mediums of expression.

Why It Matters

• South Asia’s premier art event: The fair is considered the largest cultural gathering in India, cementing New Delhi’s role in the global art circuit.
• Global exposure: International collectors and institutions attend, making it a hub for networking and cultural exchange.
• Cultural vibrancy: The fair highlights India’s evolving art landscape, blending tradition with cutting-edge contemporary practices.

Seema Kohli Painting

 Collecting & Shopping

• Browse with intent: Galleries often display works across price ranges—ask for catalogs and price lists.
• Engage with gallerists: Conversations can reveal stories behind artworks and help you make informed purchases.
• Look beyond paintings: Sculptures, installations, and digital art are increasingly popular among collectors.

KNMA

KNMA -Kiran Nadar Museum of Art had a workshop right at the main entrance. They were the Learning partner  for the Art Fair. KNMA has their  permanent exhibition  hall at Saket.

Senior artists such as Anjolie Ela Menon, Paresh Maity, & photographer Rohit Chawla were present.

Designer Sabyasachi was there to present the works of artist Atish Mukherjee.

Featured Artists Gallerie -Threshold,  had an exhibition of five women artists showcasing drawings, sculptures, paintings & miniatures.  As a matter of fact, they highlighted the power of paper as a medium.

Girijesh Kumar Singh’s sculpture was made from salvaged bricks and it explored,migration & identity.  Further, artist Subodh Gupta’s installation was a stunning presentation with falling utensils (Jugs & buckets)made of stainless steel & brass. It was titled ‘Drifting with the Stars ‘to resemble a constellation in motion.

Subodh Gupta’s cascade of vessels

The Galerie Maria Wattergren booth showcased a spectacularly colorful chandelier  by Dhruv Aggarwal. Chinnapatna wooden toys were used to craft this piece with  rings, pipe & stainless steel.

Khadim Ali’s work at Latitude 28 was a magnificent work that explored embroidery to portray exploitation of minorities. Further, American artist Judy Chicago had a quilt named “what if the world was ruled by women”. This was very interesting indeed.

International Artists @India Art Fair

The artist Thandiwe Muiru from Kenya showcased themes of identity, culture & female empowerment  through her photographic works. Another foreign artist, from Denmark, Olafur Eliasson, displayed a cluster of glass spheres. This cluster of glass appeared red from one end and black from the other end.

BRASS @INDIA ART FAIR

Further, there was a lot brass installations .The one that stood out was by Vikram Goyal. His inspiration was the Panchatantra  tales ,which is primarily about animals. Further, it was to showcase empathy with nature.The Ghiora Aharoni Design studio form New York showcased the Zamrud –  made of brass . It was a container for  holy objects.

Art Installations in multiple mediums added  greater depth & dimension to the show. it was totally eclectic,  awe inspiring & thought provoking .

The curated guided tours did wonders and several visitors were happy to join the tour . There were several volunteers who could take people around and explain the offbeat presentations and the new galleries.

And there were the Swiss watch company Rado which had a stall of its own.  Further, BMW, were the partners for the Art Show.

The mouth watering food stalls were always busy with people. There were several of then serving coffee and cakes, pizzas and pastas .

If you get a chance to visit the ART  FAIR in 2027, one should not miss the chance. It is Art. It is inspiration.