When Neha Kirpal founded what became the India Art Fair (IAF) in 2008, she had a general idea of what she wanted to achieve. True, the fact that she had studied marketing and the creative industries in London no doubt nudged Kirpal in the direction of some of the most prestigious art fairs in the world, including Frieze London, Art Basel and Art Hong Kong – but this wasn’t some cooler-than-thou exercise in one-upmanship for a niche audience.
And it's not just cool new work from Asia that dominates, although the likes of the Saatchi favourite, India's Muktinath Mondal, and Thailand's Pakpoom Silaphan will no doubt draw a lot of interest. The IAF also boasts work from the man called the Indian Picasso, the late but increasingly popular M F Hussain, and, well, Picasso himself.
“There is an interest in this kind of art in India from people looking to explore international art by established artists, or cutting-edge work from emerging practitioners,” she explains. The IAF’s Speakers Forum will offer insights into the development of these scenes, too.”
