India Art Fair came to an end this week after several days of exhibitions, public programmes and discussions that brought together artists, galleries, collectors and visitors from across India and beyond.
The final stretch of the fair carried a particular energy, with crowded aisles, last-minute conversations at booths, and a sense of urgency from audiences hoping to take in as much as possible before closing. Alongside the visual spectacle of the fair itself, a number of quieter sessions offered space for reflection on process and practice.
One of those moments was Dreaming in Thread, a conversation featuring Australian High Commissioner Philip Green, Australian First Nations artist Grace Lillian Lee, and Raw Mango founder Sanjay Garg. The discussion explored weaving traditions, creative approaches, and the enduring role of textile knowledge in shaping contemporary work.
Rather than focusing purely on finished pieces, the exchange considered what sits behind them: the slow discipline of making, the importance of technique, and the way cultural practices are carried forward through hands and memory. Lee spoke from a practice shaped by her Torres Strait Islander heritage, where weaving remains closely tied to community knowledge and continuity.
Her work has been on view at Booth No. 001 during the fair, supported by the Australian High Commission in India. Visitors had the chance to see designs that move between fashion and sculptural form, where fabric becomes something structural, almost architectural, on the body.
Garg brought another perspective rooted in India’s own long textile histories, offering points of connection between different traditions without forcing easy comparisons. The conversation stayed grounded in shared respect for craftsmanship, and in the idea that textiles often hold cultural meaning beyond their surface.
The session added another layer to Lee’s presence at the fair, following her earlier engagement through a hands-on workshop at the Learning Centre, curated by the Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, where participants were introduced to a Torres Strait grasshopper-weaving technique.
The closing days of the India Art Fair captured its broader role as a place where contemporary work is shown, but conversations often matter just as much as the exhibitions themselves. Alongside the galleries and installations, the fair continues to function as a space for quieter exchanges that tend to endure. Organisers noted that the event is led in partnership with BMW India, with this year marking a decade of collaboration with the brand.
Maria Irene is India Correspondent for The Indian Sun, reporting on technology, finance, culture, and diaspora stories across India and Australia, with a special focus on the Australian Consulate’s initiatives in India
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