Singularly Yours

Art galleries are placing their bets on solo shows at the India Art Fair 2013.

Solo contenders always attract eyeballs and the India Art Fair is no different. Those who visited the fair in Delhi last year will recall how Dilip Chobisa did the job for Latitude 28 and at Apparao Galleries, Gautam Bhatia's sculptures of Indian politicians were crowd-pullers. Not all in India were familiar with New York-based Serbian artist Marina Abramovic, but her work was not just appreciated at the booth of London's Lisson Gallery, it brought commercial success as well.

"Presenting a solo allows for focus," notes Neha Kirpal, founder-director of India Art Fair. At the fair, she has provisions for solo artists as their numbers have been rising. If the fair boasted of 13 solos last year, in its fifth edition this year, 18 galleries have opted for a solo stall, which is in addition to solo art projects that dot corridors at the fair. "It indicates that people are confident about the fair and the artist," adds Kirpal.

So while a range of works will be showcased at general booths at the three-day fair that will be open to public starting today — with more than 3,000 works of art — the solo projects will cover a broad spectrum, from veterans to contemporary biggies and the up-and-coming. If Kolkata's Akar Prakar will showcase works of Somnath Hore, Sakshi Gallery will have solos by KG Subramanyan and Rekha Rodwittiya at two booths.

Delhi's Dhoomimal Gallery will present select works of Hardik Dikshit and Jamini Roy in a rare solo of the Bengali artist. "Everyone shows the same set of artists, a solo has impact and tends to stand out," notes Uday Jain, director of Dhoomimal Gallery, who has curated works of Roy from his grandfather's personal collection.

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