5 reasons you must visit India Art Fair

The India Art Fair (IAF) in Delhi is many things to many people. Not everyone who heads there does so for the art, given that this is a space where you get to brush shoulders with the arty set without having to know too much about art or being heavily invested in learning about it. Whatever you reason, conventional art aside, the IAF has slowly become a must-do event; something Delhi is drawn to as people in large numbers flock here every January. Some come here hungry for an audience with the creators of diverse art, others are drawn by the interesting conversations made in the Speakers’ Forum and other side events that help them expand the traditional definition of art.

Here’s our pick of five things we loved at this edition of the India Art Fair:

1. Car art

Bored of wall art? Skip right over to the BMW enclosure for a real treat. The luxury car manufacture has been associated with art for over 50 years and has taken over as title sponsor of the fair this year. The swanky, modern, 10th BMW Art Car created by internationally celebrated artist César Manrique in 1990 with the BMW 730i is a must see at IAF.

Part of the brand’s art initiative which began way back in 1975, this is one in seventeen such Art Cars created by prominent artists from around the world. There’s something wonderful about seeing a beast of a machine dressed in brilliant shades and free strokes made by a world-class artist.

2. Food art

There’s nothing like getting a shot of winter sun and tequila at one go. While there are a bunch of exciting restaurants that have taken space at the IAF this year, most of them are tried and tested like Guppy by Ai, Kylin, ATM, Elma’s etc and if you eat out often enough, none will be new or exciting. The Caara Cafe on the other hand is fresh off the block and first popped up at the 2015 edition of the same fair. It has since set up a permanent outpost at The British Council and this year, the cafe has prominent placement in the courtyard where there is al fresco snacking and drinking the day through.

Must try: The pesto and mozzarella Panini at Caara is absolutely delicious and I am told their desserts are top notch as well

Jugmug Thela: This stall, located on the left right after you clear security has a wide range of steaming artisanal teas, coffees and chai snacks that are all healthy, created using 100 per cent natural and vegetarian ingredients. You can choose from their coconut sugar, jaggery and other varieties as well to sweeten the deal.

3. Talk art

The main tents house the galleries and artists, but this year a lot of buzz is being generated by some of the speakers who are going to be part of Speakers’ Forum sessions at the IAF. Stuart Comer from the Museum of Modern Art New York, who is going to be part of a panel on Sunday afternoon is slated to be a big draw, as is Osman Waheed, Founder, chair, Lahore Biennale Foundation, who is part of a session on Saturday afternoon along with Annoushka Hempel, founder and director, Colombo Art Biennale. The idea of accessing voices on art from across the world is exciting and you should make your way here if you are looking to expand your view on the subject.

4. Out-of-the-box art

On the opposite side of Caara Cafe, in the courtyard, you will spot a colourful contraption called the Bhai-O-Scope.

This interesting project by the BLOT team (Basic Love of Things) along with UnBox and Quicksand, uses the conventional bioscope (a re-engineered one at that) to tell stories from around India. This particular project called the Medicine Corner focuses on quacks or informal street medicine practitioners from across the country. BLOT, UnBox & Quicksand. The unique way of looking and documenting an age-old tradition that deserves a visit.

5. Walk art

If you would rather navigate the IAF in a group, the curated art walks by Artsome, being held thrice a day, are worth being part of as they take you through the fair in an organised manner and point out key artists, works and installations. In addition to providing a comprehensive guide to the fair, the key aim of these curated walks is to generate conversations about the Arts and bring in newer ways of looking at the same things.

When: 2.30, 4.30 and 6.30 pm on all three days of the AIF. You need to register for the curated walk at the venue.