Calendar of art

INDIAS BIGGEST art mela,the India Art Summit,gets bigger and better this year.

INDIAS BIGGEST art mela,the India Art Summit,gets bigger and better this year: 84 galleries across 8,000 sq ft of exhibition space,double the number in the last edition. Prepare to OD on a visual feast spanning generations.

In focus will be the Progressive Artists Group,the movement that defined modern Indian art,and gave us its first big stars: MF Husain and FN Souza,SH Raza and Tyeb Mehta. Watch out for the Dhoomimal Gallery and its collection of Souzas,one of the best around. The Grosvenor Gallery,the London branch of the Vadehra Art Gallery,and the Rob Dean Gallery from the UK,will also be showcasing the Progressives.

The best news comes from the Delhi Art Gallery,which has confirmed that it will be showing works of artist-in-exile MF Husain. Summit organisers have got the required permission with a little help from Jawhar Sircar,secretary,Ministry of Culture. Once the stalls are up,it will be time to celebrate.

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There will be the mandatory sprinkling of international glam though nothing spectacular. Etchings by Damien Hirst (Volte gallery,Mumbai) and sketches by Pablo Picasso (Grosvenor). The Robert Bowman Modern gallery is bringing work by famous sculptors Auguste Rodin and Barbara Hepworth; while Beck and Eggling from Germany is bringing the early cubist works of Marc Chagall. And if you havent already had too much of Anish Kapoor,you can see his etchings and reflective works at the Lisson stall.

Delhis Vadehra gallery will be showing a mix of senior and contemporary artists at the summit artists like Shilpa Gupta,Atul Dodiya,Arpita Singh and Rameshwar Broota among others,says Roshni Vadehra of the gallery. If you want to spot young artists before they start appearing on must-have lists,head to the stalls of Religare and Exhibit 320 galleries: watch out for the disturbing sculptures by Anant Mishra; Sumakshi Singhs eco-conscious installations,Sandip Pisalkars comment-heavy video art and installations,Raha Rastifards intriguing photo montages and Priti Vadakkaths take on global tragedies.

The other big highlight of the summit will be the panel of speakers: artist Anish Kapoor,the legendary Hans Ulrich Obrist,co-director of the Serpentine Gallery,and Homi Bhabha,director,Harvard Humanities Centre,will discuss the perception of Indian art internationally.

(The India Art Summit,New Delhi. January 21 23)