India's first art, architecture and design biennale to begin today

PM to inaugurate weeklong event at Red Fort in Delhi with aims of making it a flagship cultural initiative for India

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The first edition of the Indian Art, Architecture and Design Biennale, to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the iconic Red Fort on Friday, aims to establish itself as a flagship global cultural initiative for the country.

During the weeklong event, the Red Fort will showcase replicas of architectural landmarks. The biennale will also feature exhibitions based on themes chosen for each day, from December 9 to 15.

It was the prime minister’s vision to develop and institutionalise a cultural initiative similar to the international biennales at places like Venice, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Sydney and Sharjah. Mugdha Sinha, joint secretary, Ministry of Culture, said the biennale has been in the making for several months. She said PM Modi had given a call for such an event in 2020, adding that governments are increasingly realising their soft power, particularly in regions like West Asia.

The National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) is among the curators and partners — which include the Archaeological Survey of India, National Council of Science Museums, Lalit Kala Akademi, the Council of Architecture and the education ministry — for the exhibitions.

The exhibitions will be based on seven themes. These are “Pravesh: Rite of Passage: Doors of India” on day 1; “Bagh-e-bahar: Gardens as Universe: Gardens of India” (day 2); “Sampravah: Confluence of Communities: Baolis of India” (day 3); “Sthapatya: Anti-fragile algorithm: Temples of India” (day 4); “Vismaya: Creative Crossover: Architectural Wonders of Independent India” (day 5); “Deshaj Bharat Design: Indigenous Designs” (day 6) and “Samatva: Shaping the Built: Celebrating Women in Architecture” (day 7).

"The adaptive use of cultural heritage is happening across countries. Since India has such a rich heritage, the mandate was to showcase it," said Sinha.

In May this year, at the Museum Expo 2023, the culture ministry had signed memorandums of understanding with the cities of Mumbai, Kolkata, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Varanasi to reinvent cultural spaces. A couple of months prior to that, a concert by multiple Grammy winner Ricky Kej, at the Gateway of India in Mumbai, was an initiative of the ministry and NGMA in the same mould, pointed out Sinha.

The biennale follows other initiatives such as the Museum Expo and Festival of Libraries in August. It is designed to start a conversation between artists, architects, designers, photographers, collectors, art professionals and the public to strengthen cultural dialogue, the PMO said. With the biennale, “we are expanding the contours of art by introducing architecture and design” to tap into the potential of the creative community of gig workers, she added.

Apart from the themed pavilions at the Red Fort, there will be an eighth gallery — that of public art, which will include the works of 125 artists selected from more than 550 entries and public art installations on the premises of the monument. Visitors can also shop at an art bazaar that is inspired by the Chatta Chowk Bazaar (covered market) tourists encounter within the confines of Red Fort.

On Friday, Modi will also inaugurate the Aatmanirbhar Bharat Centre for Design at Red Fort and a student biennale called Samunnati, the Prime Minister’s Office said.

For now, Red Fort is the starting point of the biennale. The exhibits will be on display for nearly three months, beyond the weeklong confluence of art, architecture and design.