Where Does Art Begin And Where Does It Take Us? From the first lines on cave walls to the bold abstractions of contemporary canvases, art has always been humanity’s instinctive language. Long before words or scripts, people painted what they saw, felt, and feared. Prehistoric handprints in Bhimbetka or the frescoes of Ajanta captured memory, imagination, and emotion. Art has always been about connection between artist and viewer, past and present, silence and expression. Art challenges us to see the world differently, offering spaces where perception, thought, and feeling converge.
This is precisely what the India Art Festival 2025 — A National Celebration of Contemporary Indian Art achieves, presenting a platform where creativity flows across generations, regions, and traditions. This edition brings together artists and galleries from Hyderabad to Mumbai, Mumbai to Kolkata, and Kolkata to Delhi, creating a national dialogue in contemporary art. Visitors encounter a remarkable variety of mediums and visions as they move from one exhibit to another. One striking work, ‘Harnessing Chaos’, balances photographic precision with painterly abstraction.
Movement and disorder converge into form, prompting the question: How do we find order in chaos? Can turbulent moments transform into insight? The piece captures the tension between control and spontaneity, inviting reflection on how we navigate uncertainty. In contrast, Ajit Ooviyan’s canvases radiate colour and energy, exploring harmony through vibrant strokes. Parul Jain’s modern texture works draw attention to the materiality of paint itself, layering surfaces to create depth. Sonia Verma’s black-and-white series, accented with subtle red, conveys restrained intensity, questioning how simplicity can hold power.
A Durga-inspired Madhubani painting blends tradition with contemporary interpretation, portraying courage, strength, and resilience. Aarti Studio’s ‘Quiet Beauty of Thought’ examines contemplation through texture, inviting viewers to engage with their own impressions. Each work encourages interpretation, prompting reflection on the surfaces, colours, and forms that surround us.
Standing before a canvas, viewers are invited to interpret, question, and reflect. Each artwork sparks thought and imagination, prompting personal responses to texture, colour, and form. Every painting becomes a mirror for our own emotions and ideas.
The IAF 2025, under the direction of Minakshi Patil, is at the Constitution Club of India, New Delhi, and continues till today, offering audiences the chance to stand before the artworks, interpret their meanings, and engage directly with the evolving narrative of contemporary Indian art.
