Irregular Programming

An alternative art fair in the capital is attempting to take back power from the industry’s gatekeepers.

- Neville Bhandara

Last year, while the art world’s focus was trained on India Art Fair in New Delhi, there was a smaller show taking place not too far away, at the repurposed warehouse of a disused leather factory deep inside Khirki Village. Called The Irregulars Art Fair (TIRAF), the three-day affair was the brainchild of artist Tarini Sethi, 29, and graphic designer Anant Ahuja, 27, who wanted to create an alternative space for independent and unde r r ep re s en t ed artists. “It is difficult to exhibit your work in Delhi without knowing someone or having money,” says Sethi, who curates TIRAF. “This platform is a call for greater diversity in the field, and to break down the currently inaccessible art market,” adds Ahuja, who takes care of strategy, partnerships, and production. Now, with the sec