Opening the doors to Art Mumbai 2024

The sophomore edition of the art fair returns bigger and brighter

By Zoya Kathawala

Welcome to the first edition of our monthly newsletter which will provide a glimpse into all that you need to know about Art Mumbai. Via this newsletter we will be sharing updates on what you can expect at the upcoming art fair, information about our year-round Gateway programmes, highlights of our past events and write-ups, features and articles on all things art, culture, heritage and design written by experts, art writers and members of the Art Mumbai team.

Beyond being a celebration of South Asian art, the inaugural edition of Art Mumbai served as a distinctive homage to the city of Mumbai. Historically home to the oldest museums, galleries and art schools, Mumbai has emerged as the epicentre of the art market in the past few years.

The Art Mumbai office is brimming with excitement as we gear up for our second edition, taking place from November 14-17, 2024 at Mumbai's Mahalaxmi Racecourse.

Encouraged by all the support we received from gallerists, patrons and art enthusiasts alike, after last year's debut edition this year's art fair aspires to have a little more with a finely curated selection of modern and contemporary art from India and around the world. A strong line-up of galleries, participation by foundations and prominent art institutions and diverse programmes will ensure that Art Mumbai is a celebration of community: artists, galleries, institutions, curators, collectors, new buyers, art professionals and enthusiasts.

The upcoming Art Mumbai fair has almost doubled in size and will feature 62 Indian galleries from Delhi, Bengaluru, Chennai, Pune, Kolkata and Mumbai, among other Indian cities as well as nine international galleries from the UK, USA, UAE and Japan. Three foundations - the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, the Saffronart Foundation and RMZ Foundation - will also have a prominent presence.

Amongst the many highlights of this edition is the evolution of last year's sculpture garden into a sculpture walk, supported by RMZ Foundation. Also on offer is a wide selection of delicious offerings at the food court and lounges, retail outlets for those looking to complement their art fair experience with books, home furnishings etc and after-hours performances at the main stage over the weekend.

The programmes for Art Mumbai 2024 have been designed to build upon the conversations and thought starters that were presented in the previous year.

Through the onsite Speaker Series, supported by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, offsite panel discussions, exhibition walkthroughs, tours of institutions and more during the fair, audiences will have the chance to better understand collecting patterns of the past and how they are changing today, the urgencies that informed the Indian modern art movement, Mumbai's role as a melting pot of artistic practice, the technological advancements of AI in art and, most importantly, Indian art's evolving significance on the international stage.

Art Mumbai recognises the importance of keeping conversations surrounding the Indian, South Asian and global art world alive and aspires to do so with its year-round programming, Art Mumbai Gateway.

Inspired by Mumbai city's iconic landmark, the Gateway of India, Art Mumbai Gateway was launched in April 2024 and includes exciting conversations, exhibitions, workshops, performances, events and more, across India and around the world.

We have already hosted two successful Gateway events in Mumbai and London respectively (read more about them in this newsletter) with many more interesting and unique experiences in store for the Art Mumbai community.

Follow us on Instagram and subscribe to our mailing list for updates about our upcoming events as well as details on how to book tickets for Art Mumbai 2024.

Zoya Kathawala is Head of Programmes, Art Mumbai