Over 10 Indian galleries participated, a record for Art SG – The fourth edition of Singapore’s flagship contemporary art fair featured more than ten Indian galleries, alongside three international galleries focused on South Asia, anchored by the South Asia Insights section supported by the TVS Initiative [1].
High‑profile Indian works drew multilingual crowds – Visitors lingered before Jitish Kallat’s billboard‑scale Palindrome/Anagram and Raqib Shaw’s tapestry, with conversations shifting among English, Mandarin and Tamil, underscoring the fair’s regional resonance [1].
India’s art ecosystem has expanded over the past decade – New museums, private institutions, philanthropic foundations and artist‑run spaces have emerged, while commercial platforms such as India Art Fair (2008) and Art Mumbai (2024) have consolidated the market and encouraged outward gallery outreach [1].
Curator sees renewed South‑Asia–Southeast‑Asia exchange – Srinivas Aditya Mopidevi of the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art notes historic exchange, a slowdown as the market moved westward, and now a revived momentum linking the regions [1].
Singapore serves as post‑pandemic connective hub – Efficient logistics, active collectors and a sizable South Asian diaspora make the city a conduit for art dialogue; Ashvin Rajagopalan of Ashvita’s observed the audience’s openness and that many Indian works sold to non‑Indian collectors [1].
Historical precedents reinforce the regional dialogue – From the 1996 Asia Society’s Traditions/Tensions exhibition to recent biennales (Jogja, Gwangju, Bangkok) and Singapore institutions showcasing South Asian artists, the fair continues a long‑standing cross‑regional conversation [1].