Delhi Contemporary Art Week

The canvas of artistic expression is being redefined as the much-anticipated sixth edition of the Delhi Contemporary Art Week (DCAW) opens in the capital on September 3. A creative alliance forged by six galleries, DCAW is an outcome of the shared mission of amplifying the voices of creative artists and tapping into the repository of talent in the Indian subcontinent and South Asian countries.  This edition of DCAW will showcase exciting new voices along with a kaleidoscope of styles, themes, and techniques that reflect the ever-changing tapestry of South Asian creativity.

The landscape of contemporary art in India is a testament to the region’s adaptability, creativity and resilience. All these six Delhi-based galleries are showcasing a line-up of artists from India and the sub-continent whose artworks resonate with audiences both within the region and around the world.  Just like its successful edition last year, this year Delhi Contemporary Art Week (DCAW) will be at Bikaner House and open to the public for five days.

In addition to the curated shows by six participating galleries, there will be a group exhibition featuring artists from each gallery. This year, Girish Shahane has curated the exhibit titled ‘Conjunction of the Spheres’ featuring works of 18 artists. The exhibition’s curatorial framework bases itself on the vision of the cosmos articulated by the cultures of ancient Mesopotamia, a land that in its broadest definition includes modern-day Iraq and bits of Syria, Iran and Turkey.  In any long-lived belief system, whether Mesopotamian, Indian or Egyptian, the place of gods shifts in importance over the centuries, as do their traits and powers. There is frequent overlap in roles among divinities, especially when it comes to issues central to pastoral and agricultural societies like fertility and war. The exhibition does not pretend to be either comprehensive or scholarly in its interpretation of Babylonian cosmography.

“The choice of the theme was made because it is capacious enough to accommodate a wide variety of practices, as demanded of a show that is a collaboration between six galleries with disparate programmes, while also being cohesive enough to bring varied artistic styles together into a unified visual experience,” says Girish Shahane.

Apart from this collective exhibition, the six partner galleries will also present curated exhibitions at their respective spaces, igniting a citywide excitement centred around contemporary art.

The festival’s enriching programming comprises curatorial walkthroughs and a two-day symposium. TAKE on Art is organising TAKE Symposium, ‘Horizon and Perspective: Curatorial Gaze to Gauge Promise of Art’ on the 4th and 5^th of September. Conceptualized by Bhavna Kakar and Dilpreet Bhullar, the symposium delves deeper into the use of archival excavation to reimagine the past, explores the concept of establishing a new world order, emphasizes the significance of curatorial collaborations, and discusses community building alongside a radical approach to viewing art. The keynote address will be delivered by Hannah Mathews, Senior Curator at Monash University Museum of Art. Other prominent speakers are Abha Narain Lambha, John Tain, Mirjam Varadinis, Naman Ahuja, Pushpamala N, Tasneem Zakaria Mehta, and more.

DCAW originated with the aim of fostering discussions that align with the evolving perspective of the present time. It envisions itself as the ultimate platform for both seasoned and up-and-coming collectors, as well as art enthusiasts who are enthusiastic about engaging in these conversations and seeking further insights.