HELLO! INDIA ART AWARDS

THE SECOND EDITION OF THE HELLO! INDIA ART AWARDS WAS AN UBER SPECIAL NIGHT OF UNINHIBITED CREATIVITY AND CONVERSATION. ARTISTS, PATRONS, GALLERISTS AND OTHER DISTINGUISHED PERSONALITIES FROM INDIA'S VERITABLE ARTSCAPE ASSEMBLED IN DELHI FOR AN ELITE, EXCLUSIVE EVENT THAT CELEBRATED THE BEST FROM THE INDUSTRY. WE BRING YOU THE HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NIGHT AND CANDID CHATS WITH OUR WINNERS

- SALVA MUBARAK

In a world plagued by despair and depravity, art can serve as an escape as well as a stark mirror to the reality that grounds us. The second edition of the HELLO! India Art Awards sought to celebrate this duality and did just that — and more!

The most illustrious names from India’s art community gathered at Delhi’s 1AQ Gallery on a pleasant February evening, to felicitate their contemporaries and the future of the country’s artscape. Located in Mehrauli, one of Delhi’s most prominent heritage areas, the open-air gallery served as the perfect backdrop for the occasion.

Guests milled about the well-manicured gardens as they enjoyed drinks and hors d’oeuvre while waiting for the ceremony to begin. They flocked to the beautifully decked-out bar and culinary delights, which were flanked by stunning art installations by the Chanakya School of Crafts. The hand-embroidered canvases from their ‘Chanakya Devi’ Series left onlookers in awe of the intricate and delicate surface designs and textures.

Through these awards, curated by Priyanshi Saxena, HELLO! forged ahead in its quest to establish itself as a prominent voice in India’s art industry. To this end, we brought together a well-rounded jury, in consultation with Anahita Taneja and Shefali Somani of Shrine Empire Gallery in Delhi. The winners were chosen based on the artists’ craft, inclusivity of designs and what they stood for. The esteemed panel of judges included art historian, writer, curator and designer Tasneem Zakaria Mehta; art curator and publisher Rahaab Allana; artist Anita Dube; and philanthropist and collector Kiran Nadar, who’s also chairperson of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art and a trustee at the Shiv Nadar Foundation.