India art fair begins

INDIA: India's biggest art fair began yesterday, pulling in dozens of foreign galleries seeking to tap a new breed of buyers in one of the world's fastest-growing economies.

Now in its third edition, the annual Indian Art Summit has expanded sharply in both size and prominence, with 84 galleries taking part this year compared with 55 last time.

As well as offering rare global exposure for Indian artists, it also provides an exploratory platform for overseas dealers who feel India's booming economy is minting a sizeable pool of wealthy buyers interested in international art.

The number of participating foreign galleries has doubled from last year to 34, with exhibitors from France, Germany, Canada, the United States, Singapore and Japan.

"From the start, our objective was to create a window into the Indian art market," said the event's director, Neha Kirpal.

"We wanted to facilitate the growth of Indian art and its market within India, and to create a consolidated platform of Indian art for the world outside." NEW DELHI, Friday, AFP