A quick look at the intriguing public projects at Delhi’s art fair

The just-concluded fourth edition of the India Art Fair in New Delhi featured 91 exhibitors from India and 20 other countries. A wide array of exciting modern & contemporary artworks and abroad. There were public art projects on view, including interactive art projects and site-specific sculptures. The commissioned art projects were promoted by various independent art foundations and galleries.

A quick look at the intriguing public projects at Delhi’s art fair that drew the visitor’s attention:

Zuleikha Chaudhari’s ‘A Nest of Frames’ courtesy Project 88 Creative India Foundation: The artist explored the idea of space in a ‘light’ sculpture: a brightly colored frames’ nest. Viewers, encouraged to walk through them, were made to ponder the basic idea of architecture as an enclosing case for the body.

Reena Saini Kallat’s ‘Light Leaks, Winds Meet Where the Waters Spill Deceit’ courtesy Palette Art Gallery: The sculpture was modeled on the gates – demarcating the India-Pakistan boundary at the Wagah border - its surfaces bound with the red sacred thread often utilized in temple rituals, but also viewed at some mosques.

‘Delhi Tent’ by Clemens Behr (artbelowzero): The artist from Germany makes use of the simplest materials for creating complex ephemeral architecture that fills galleries/ public spaces with captivating origami-like structures.

Rashid Rana’s Translations/Transliterations courtesy Lisson Gallery: By employing a twofold language, he deals with the intriguing idea of historical transformation and cultural change.

Raqs Media Collective’s ‘Whenever the Heart Skips a Beat’ courtesy Project 88 & Creative India Foundation: An animated video, it showed a clock-face, featuring 12 words instead of numeric hour markings. The words produced constant permutations of our states of mind.

‘Living Works of Art’ by Preeti Chandrakant courtesy Art Projects, Zurich: Her intervention could be bought, sold and displayed for the artist to publicly describe such a transaction’s formalities – its terms & conditions, packaging, insurance, resale etc.