Gulf war disrupts art routes, but India market remains resilient

Galleries rethink Art Dubai participation, while strong domestic demand cushions impact

- VEENU SANDHU

AstaGuru's ShowKeen exhibition at Bikaner House, New Delhi, held on March 14-15

“We made the considered decision to withdraw from Art Dubai,” says Bhavna Kakar, founder and director of Latitude 28, a New Delhi-based gallery. “While the ethos of the art world is that the show must go on, it cannot come at the expense of safety.”

Kakar’s decision reflects the unease rippling through the art world, which is beginning to feel the impact of the war in West Asia, though the domestic market remains robust. “When a calamity hits mankind, all industries get impacted, and art is no different,” says Sunaina Anand, founder and director, Art Alive Gallery, Delhi, pointing to the deeply interconnected nature of today’s art world.

Art Dubai, scheduled from April 17 to 19 and marking its 20th year, was expected to see a strong Indian presence. Last year, 11 Indian galleries had showcased around 30 artists across genres. This year, however, caution is keeping many of them away. Kakar’s gallery had planned a two-person presentation with Gopa Trivedi and Sanket Viramgami, both of whom were scheduled to travel. That plan has now been shelved. “There is little appetite for uncertainty or the risk of being stranded,” she says. A summer exhibition her gallery had planned in London has also been deferred.

Richa Agarwal, chairperson, Kolkata Centre for Creativity, and CEO, Emami Art, echoes the sentiment. “... we were scheduled to visit Art Dubai, which has now been disrupted,” she says, expressing concern that such interruptions may also influence their international outreach in the near term.

Even as uncertainty clouds international participation, particularly in West Asia, which is a growing hub for Indian art, voices across the sector point to a more layered impact.