BMW Group India Presents India Art Fair 2024 In New Delhi

* Special Installation titled ‘Symphony of Nature: The Harmonic Forest’ by Shashikant Thavudoz, winner of the third edition of ‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission.

* BMW Art Talk – Through the Looking Glass by Anita Dube, Barthélémy Toguo and Jitish Kallat.

* #BMWIndia #BMWArtTalk #SheerDrivingPleasure #BMWi7 #IndiaArtFair #IAF15 #SouthAsianArt

BMW Group India is the presenting partner of the latest edition of India Art Fair from 1 – 4 February 2024 at the NSIC Exhibition Grounds in New Delhi. India Art Fair is the leading platform for showcasing modern and contemporary art in India and South Asia. The fair has brought hundreds of artists from the region to the world’s attention over its many successful editions. 

Mr. Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India said, “BMW Group India is deeply committed to nurturing corporate citizenship and fostering intercultural dialogue, integral to our societal responsibilities. We are proud partners for the fair, as it celebrates 15 incredible years of establishing itself as the leading platform for discovering modern and contemporary art in India and South Asia. As the 'Presenting Partner' of the India Art Fair, we have been instrumental in promoting the growth and visibility of modern Indian art and artists. This year, BMW India is excited to unveil the third installment of the 'Future is Born of Art' commission. We invite art and automobile enthusiasts alike to join us in exploring new realms of creative expression at the India Art Fair.”

BMW Group India has supported the evolution and exposure of modern contemporary Indian art and artists since 2012. Through this year’s collaboration, BMW India will exhibit the first-ever fully electric BMW i7 sedan as part of third ‘The Future is Born of Art’ commission and host the BMW Art Talk on the theme ‘Through the Looking Glass’.

The first-ever BMW i7 is a true all-electric luxury sedan that clearly demonstrates how an exclusive driving experience can be combined with an unwavering commitment to sustainability. The i7 offers all-electric innovation, visionary design, and powerful driving dynamics so that you can make a striking impression everywhere you go. Built for the luminaries with next-level style and substance, it is undeniably alluring from the inside out.

‘The Future is Born of Art’ commission is an initiative by BMW India and India Art Fair which aims to propel emerging Indian artists and boost BMW Group’s commitment to promote art, sustainability and innovation. BMW India will showcase its third commission based on the theme ‘Forwardism’.

Sashikanth Thavudoz is the winner of the third edition of ‘The Future is Born of Art’ commission, following Faiza Hasan and Devika Sundar, the winners of the 2022 and 2023 commissions, respectively. Selected by the advisory panel comprising of HRH Radhikaraje Gaekwad - a distinguished patron and conservationist, Jaya Asokan – director, India Art Fair, Veeranganakumari Solanki, curator and Sameer Kulavoor, contemporary artist.

For his installation at the India Art Fair, titled ‘Symphony of Nature: The Harmonic Forest’, Thavudoz has combined materials and mediums from his past experiences and projects, including illuminated lights and wood blocks, into a multi-sensory and immersive experience. In-line with the theme ‘Forwardism,’ the installation is more than a concept. It is an ongoing journey of the artist emphasizing responsible creativity amidst change. It combines natural and manufactured materials that aims to highlight the fragility of this balance that we must all consider as we go into the future.

BMW Art Talk on the theme of ‘Through the Looking Glass’ will be hosted on 2 February 2024 at the India Art Fair. Three ground-breaking contemporary artists, Anita Dube, Barthélémy Toguo and Jitish Kallat share the inspiring stories of their creative journeys in a candid conversation with Prof. Dr. Thomas Girst, Global Head, BMW Group Cultural Engagement.

Both Dube and Kallat have been leading the Kochi-Muziris Biennale as artistic directors in 2018, and 2014, respectively. BMW is a committed long-term partner of the biennial since its inception in 2012. 

About BMW’s Cultural Commitment

For over 50 years now, the BMW Group has initiated and been engaged in hundreds of cultural co-operations worldwide. The focus of its long-term commitment is set on modern and contemporary art, classical music, jazz and sound, as well as architecture and design.

Along with commissioning iconic BMW Art Cars and co-initiatives, such as BMW Tate Live, the BMW Art Journey and the ‘Opera for All’ concerts in Berlin, Munich, Moscow and London, the company also partners with leading museums and art fairs as well as orchestras and opera houses around the world. The BMW Group guarantees absolute creative freedom, as this is just as essential for groundbreaking artistic work as it is for major innovations in a successful business.

Since its inception, BMW India has participated in leading cultural engagements across the country. In 2007, two BMW Art Cars embellished by world renowned artists Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein were presented at the Jehangir Art Gallery in Mumbai. BMW Art Car by Andy Warhol, Jeff Koons, Sandro Chia and Cesar Manrique have been exclusively showcased at various editions of the India Art Fair.

Since 2012, BMW has partnered with Kochi-Muziris Biennale, the contemporary art exhibition, which brings international artists to India and creates a global platform for Indian artists. In 2012-13, the innovative BMW Guggenheim Lab came to India. Based at Dr. Bhau Daji Lad Museum and conducted at six different venues in Mumbai, the lab organised six weeks of free programmes with diverse audiences and communities addressing the challenges and conditions of the urban city.

About India Art Fair

India Art Fair is the leading platform to discover Modern and Contemporary art from South Asia, offering a unique access point to the region’s thriving cultural scene.

Taking place annually in India’s capital, New Delhi, the fair reflects the city’s fast-developing local arts scene, while offering curated insights into the cultural landscapes of neighbouring countries. The fair’s programme - which draws together galleries and artists, private foundations and arts charities, artists’ collectives, national institutions, cultural events and festivals - enables international audiences to engage in innovative ways with the cultural history and development of the region.

The fair is committed to supporting arts education and professional development opportunities, recognising the crucial need to support the development of the local arts scene, and provide dedicated exhibition space to emerging galleries and arts organisations. The fair aims to run an extensive programme of events, including education initiatives, artist commissions and pop-up programmes, aiming to increase audiences for the arts within India.

India Art Fair is owned by Angus Montgomery Arts, a division of Angus Montgomery Ltd.

Photo Caption: (L-R) Mr. Vikram Pawah, President, BMW Group India, Ms. Jaya Asokan, Director, India Art Fair, Mr. Sashikanth Thavudoz, winner of the third edition of ‘The Future is Born of Art’ commission and Prof. Dr. Thomas Girst, Global Head of Cultural Engagement, BMW Group.