As the heat and humidity rises in the Capital, the art circuit slumps into slumber. Though galleries here wear a deserted look with only a handful exhibitions, this is the time when Indian art travels long distances to bring the summer alive in faraway art hubs — from New Delhi to New York and Baroda to Bangkok.

Reena Saini, who travels to Milan later this month for her solo show at Marella Gallery, says, “Winter is a time to exhibit in India, and summer is busier abroad.” She is upbeat about her exhibition, “We are expecting high visibility. There will be lot of traffic in the city due to its proximity to Venice where the Biennale, which showcases the best of world art, will begin in June,” adds Saini. After the show opens on May 27, she plans to travel to Zurich and London with husband Jitish Kallat, who is part of a show that brings him together with fellow Mumbai-based artists Riyas Komu and Sudarshan Shetty at Gemeentemuseum Den Haag in Hague. The husband-wife duo is also currently exhibiting at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Korea, in an exhibition titled ‘Chalo! India: A New Era of Indian Art’ that features works by 27 artists including NS Harsha, Pushpamala N, Atul Dodiya and Subodh Gupta. “With a dip in the number exhibitions in India, the social commitments tend to be limited at present and artists can use the time to concentrate on their work,” says Kallat.

Delhi-based Gigi Scaria agrees. The artist, who is planning a vacation to his hometown in Kerala this summer, was in Berlin till a few days back for his solo exhibition titled ‘Settlement’ that is on at Christian Hosp gallery. The space, previously owned by Bodhi Art, now has on its walls photographs of Scaria’s sculptures taken by the artist in open patches in Rohini in New Delhi. There is also his plywood-and-glass installation showing a tractor doubling as apartments, depicting rapid development and reconstruction in India.

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