The India Art Summit is set to get bigger in its third year with more countries expected to participate and the number of exhibiting galleries doubling from previous year in the event scheduled to be held here in January 2011.

Held annually in August since 2008, the third edition of the art fair would take place in the national capital from January 21-23 next year. This, organisers say was done to enable India find a permanent slot on the global art fair map.

With 84 galleries shortlisted out of 150 for the edition, and the inclusion of 34 leading international galleries (double the number that participated in 2009), India’s importance as an emerging global centre for art is further confirmed, organisers said in a statement.

Top galleries from around the world will include Lisson Gallery (UK), Sundaram Tagore Gallery (Hong Kong), Galerie Kashya Hildebrand (Switzerland), Aicon Gallery (US) Grosvenor Gallery (UK), Thomas Erben Gallery (US), Galerie Frank Elbaz (France), Die Galerie (Germany), The Drawing Room (The Philippines), Greenaway Gallery (Australia), and others.

“We are thrilled to be back at this exciting event and privileged to play a role in the internationalisation of the Indian art world,” says Michelle D’Souza, Director, Lisson Gallery which is returning for the third time.

At the last fair there were over 40,000 visitors and a total sales of Rs 260 million according to estimates given by the organisers.

The total area of the art fair has increased almost two-fold to approximately 8000 sq metre of exhibition space, and the total number of galleries has increased by 55 per cent from the previous edition.

“We’re very pleased with the quality of galleries that have been selected and the breadth of Modern and Contemporary Art that will be presented at the upcoming fair” says Neha Kirpal, Director, India Art Summit.

“India has never seen this selection of art and galleries come together from around the world, I’m very excited to see that our country’s art fair is shaping up to be of a truly international standard,” says Shireen Gandhy, Gallery Director, Mumbai.

The third edition would see a greater curatorial focus in the gallery booth plans with strong group shows in the general exhibition section, and individual artist displays in the new solo projects section of the art fair.

Further, an extended sculpture park surrounding the entire art fair venue at the Pragati Maidan here and the dedicated spaces for video and performance art is expected to give galleries a much wider stage to present an array of art practices and mediums.

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