India Art Festival returns to Bengaluru with 3,000 artworks and new voices

The deficiency of nationalist creation galleries successful India, and constricted venues for emerging artists to showcase their enactment is what prompted Rajendra Patil to motorboat India Art Festival successful 2011 successful Mumbai. Since then, the founder-director has taken the nationalist creation lawsuit to New Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.

With the 2025 variation acceptable to instrumentality spot successful Bengaluru this week, Rajendra explains however the thought down starting the festival was simple: to make a level for artists. “Back successful 2011, metros did not person immoderate creation fairs. As an creation activistic associated with The Bombay Art Society, I powerfully felt the request to make opportunities for some municipality and agrarian artists, arsenic good arsenic creation galleries.”

Now successful its 5th edition, the Festival volition showcase implicit 3,000 artworks from much than 20 galleries and 300 artists from 25 cities crossed India. Artists volition diagnostic an array of artworks crossed mediums specified arsenic paintings, sculptures, photography, ceramics, installations, and accepted creation forms.

With idiosyncratic artists astatine the halfway of the festival, Rajendra created a dual exemplary that features an Art Galleries Pavilion and an Artists’ Pavilion. “Since determination are precise fewer nationalist creation galleries successful India, galore talented artists conflict to find abstraction to amusement their work. The festival aims to span that gap,” helium says, adding that caller artists are onboarded each year, alongside 50–60% repetition participants.

“Some of the artists debuting this twelvemonth see watercolour creator Anil Verghese; Rajeev Rai, who experiments with photography and mixed media; young talents specified arsenic Dev Mehta, Arthi Singavi, Khushi Sancheti, Rigden Lama, among others.” 

For the 2025 edition, helium is introducing a curated scenery creation amusement titled ‘Brush Strokes of Karnataka’ that has been curated by K. S. Appajaiah, erstwhile dean, Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath College of Fine Arts.

“This amusement brings unneurotic starring scenery artists who beautifully represent Karnataka’s earthy and taste heritage: its historical sites similar Hampi, Badami, Aihole, Pattadakal, arsenic good arsenic its forests, rivers, hills, agrarian life, and temple architecture,” explains Rajendra.

As for caller creation forms being explored this year, helium says the line-up features artists Arul Murugan and Parimal who volition showcase a fusion of modern creation and Tanjore styles; M Narayan volition contiguous watercolours of polo players; and galleries specified arsenic Studio3 Art Gallery successful Mumbai, Bengaluru’s Sara Arakkal Gallery, etc. volition grounds modern creation and pieces by elder artists.

Showcasing successful Bengaluru is ever a win, Rajendra says. “The metropolis has a vibrant, diverse, and increasing assemblage that appreciates art. Young professionals, families, and collectors present regularly sojourn creation events. So, the Festival supports artists, particularly from agrarian and semi-urban areas, and besides caters to creation lovers.”

From December 12-14 astatine Crown Pavilions, Palace Ground – Gate No 5