TEFAF MaastrichtMaastricht, The NetherlandsMarch 10-19, 2017Begun in 1988 by art and antique dealers, TEFAF Maastricht continues to enjoy the distinction of one of the most visited spots where the best old masters, ancient collectibles and treasures gather under one roof, pointing to the way the world is collecting. It works, and curates, in the belief that someone who is passionate about a painting or sculpture could also be a consumer of antique furniture, stupendous jewellery or rare books. Those who have attended the fair compare it with a museum, with only one caveat—you can actually buy here, provided you have the financial appetite its treasures command. So successful has the fair been that it has recently launched two editions in New York: Its recently concluded Fall, a version of its home fair, and forthcoming Spring, which is built around modern and contemporary art and design. Will others follow? Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
Art DubaiDubai, UAEMarch 15-18, 2017Abu Dhabi is aiming at becoming an art hub for the region with the opening of The Guggenheim and The Louvre, but it is Dubai’s art fair that grabs the eyeballs with its concentration on the region and its cultural neighbours, South Asia and Africa. Ten editions old, the curatorial focus of Art Dubai is driven towards individual artists, and with a discussion forum as well as prizes, it has become one of the pioneering art platforms for the Middle East. Over the last few years Art Dubai has emerged as the place to view some of the best art works from Pakistan, Bangladesh and India. Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
DocumentaKassel, Germany and Athens, GreeceAthens: April 8-July 16, 2017Kassel: June 10-September 17, 2017 For an art event that is so serious, Documenta does not grab the kind of press in India that it should. Begun in 1955, and held every five years, it has become a huge resource and library for searching for curatorial ideas and an archive rich with art writings and ideas from around the world. Under artistic director Adam Szymczyk, the forthcoming Documenta (though it is usually written with a lower case ‘d’) is the fourteenth edition and is distinctive for having moved, for the first time in its history, a part of its programme to another country, Greece. The artistic vision comes from Germany’s economic support to Greece and the resultant hostility that involves the world’s embrace of globalisation and capitalism amidst underlying fears and vulnerability. With the selection of important South Asian artists to represent a poignant phase of the region, the forthcoming edition will shed light on nuances and reflections that have slipped past narratives of history in the conscience of the mainstream. Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
Venice BiennaleVenice, ItalyMay 13-November 26, 2017La Biennale di Venezia is the oldest art event of its kind, having begun in 1895, with the first international pavilions starting in 1907 and steadily building up a presence to become the world’s most exciting outing for art. While India has remained removed from this by way of a national pavilion, Indian artists at least have been well represented—who can forget Subodh Gupta’s utensil skull overlooking the canal? Or Feroze Gujral’s glamorous, crammed party at the last edition? Occasionally controversial for the political content that draws sharp debates across art communities as well as religious outfits and even governments, the Venice Biennale is the most highly regarded and attended biennale in history. Organised at several venues across the city, and conjoined by an architecture biennale that is every bit as momentous, the Venice Biennale offers a meeting place for art lovers and a chance to holiday in Italy at the same time.Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
Art BaselBasel, SwitzerlandJune 15-18, 2017Started in 1970 by a handful of local gallerists wanting to show the best world art, Art Basel is arguably the most prestigious of the world’s art shows. Located near the borders of France and Germany in the small Swiss town better known for its watch and jewellery fair, Art Basel’s language is considered more contemporary than modern, yet it segues the distance across the 20th and up to the 21st century. Several distinctive segments make up its portfolio under the vision of its global director, Marc Spiegler. Its buzz makes it an exciting art bazaar where, the most expensive deals are struck with a snap of the fingers. Such is its potential that galleries and artists across the world vie to participate but are routinely turned away. With participation by 300-odd galleries from three-dozen or so countries and several thousand artists, this is art hedonism at its best. Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
MasterpieceLondon, UKJune 29-July 5, 2017The only thing better than summer in England must be Masterpiece, the Chelsea fair that’s young by comparison with its peers—it was launched in 2010—but makes up for it with its eclectic, exciting selection of antiques, rare books and maps, ancient furniture and statuary, art and even armour. Here, you can rub shoulders with British royalty, Indian industrialists, Hollywood stars, Chinese writers and the casual world of celebrity in search of treasures dating back six millennia—there are Egyptian statues, Grecian columns, Indian miniatures, contemporary jewellery, amusing artefacts, the grand masters of art, embracing all the points that interest collectors with a broad vision and varied passion. Great restaurants and bars add to its attractions, and there are London’s galleries and museums to fill in the gaps, making Masterpiece a venerable destination for art lovers.Image by Courtesy: DAG Modern Archives
