Meet the SHEROES--Neha Kirpal, Creator, India Art Fair

Neha Kirpal, the creator of India Art Fair, is known as an art entrepreneur. This annual Art Fair held in Delhi includes a variety of paintings, sculptures, video art, photography and much more.

Within a few years, it grew to become India’s largest art fair. Neha tells us how she did it:

How did the idea for India Art Fair come about? Tell us about the journey and how you got here.

I've always been interested in culture and creative spaces. I moved back to India from the UK because the untapped potential of the culture space here was very exciting. It inspired me to be a pioneer in this field and create something that didn’t exist in India, and yet, was much needed. The vision for India Art Fair has always been to make art more accessible and less intimidating to a wider pool of people. I am a patriot at heart and delighted to have contributed to the growth of the contemporary Indian art scene by creating a sustainable business model, and hopefully inspired others in the creative industries in India to follow.

Off the top of your head, what are the top few pointers that differentiate Indian art and artists from the rest of the world?

Art is a product of experience and a means for an artist to express herself and her experience. Therefore, even if her work is not about India per se, Indian artists will be inevitably be influenced by the rich cultural history we have as a nation and the global significance of the country today. 

What are the top few objectives you hope to achieve with your venture? What future plans do you have for India Art Fair?

We are constantly working hard to grow and improve India Art Fair. It has already seen unprecedented growth and support, and helped put art into the focus of mainstream society/press in India--which is a big achievement for us. I would like to see it grow into an unmissable event on the Indian cultural calendar, for art enthusiasts and a wider public: An event where young artists can launch their careers and where collectors go to expand their collections, and a place where people can learn more about art in India.

When it comes to art, do you feel that young India is also taking time out to appreciate it? Who makes up the majority clientele in this segment?

The success of India Art Fair and other artistic endeavours like the Kochi Biennale show that there is a growing appetite for art in India, and a real interest in Indian artists in particular. We are certainly seeing more culturally-engaged young professionals buying art. One of the great advantages of the fair is that it helps stimulate and develop a broader collector base. One thing that India Art Fair has positively demonstrated is the emergence of a new younger segment of the population with an appetite for collecting art. The impressive results at recent Indian auctions are a testament to this growing demand.  

What advice would you give a first-timer investing in art?

Do your homework, visit galleries, talk to gallerists, read up on artists that you like and then, no matter what your budget, only buy art that you love; you will never lose out.

What can you say about the myth that art is expensive? 

Like most markets, the value of art is only ever what someone is willing to pay for it; so as an artist becomes more popular and their are works more in demand, the price will invariably rise. That's not to say you can't buy beautiful and meaningful artwork at relatively affordable prices, though. And ultimately, the pieces you buy should be based on the impact they have on you as an individual, not because of their perceived worth.