Celebrate World Art Day with these must-see exhibitions

Art has existed since the time of cavemen and has long claimed its spot as food for your soul. It is an experience that incites creativity and innovation. It reflects human emotions and beliefs and has the power to inspire, challenge and transform people’s lives—gives voice to people who live on the margins and serves as a bridge between people by skillfully and beautifully blending cultures and techniques. 

On World Art Day (celebrated on May 15th), we encourage you to explore the beauty and diversity of art by visiting some of the most captivating exhibitions around India. From the traditional to the contemporary, these exhibits will ignite your imagination and leave you in awe.

Van Gogh 360, Gurugram

You can spend hours being lost in Van Gogh’s paintings at this immersive exhibition. The floor-to-ceiling projections makes you feel as though you have been transported inside the 19th century Dutch artist’s works. This is certainly an experience you will never forget and should never miss as it only runs till the April 30th. But, if you do miss this, it’s okay as Van Gogh 360 is a traveling exhibition and will have many more stops all around India in the near future. 

NMACC, Mumbai

The recently inaugurated NMACC houses the most exciting exhibits in Mumbai currently. It started with the vision to preserve and promote Indian arts, and it lives up to this with its 'India in Fashion' and 'Sangam' exhibits.It features intricate works of Indian designers like Ritu Kumar, Sabyasachi Mukherjee, Rahul Mishra, and Anita Dongre as well as Indian-inspired designs from Christian Dior, Cristóbal Balenciaga, Elsa Schiaparelli, Gabrielle ‘Coco’ Chanel,  Yves Saint Laurent. Sangam on the other hand dives into the way artists use a variety of art-making techniques rather than limiting themselves to a single language, medium, or style. They showcase the kaleidoscopic art of Indian Artists like Bharti Kher and Shantibai as well as global names like Anselm Kiefer and Cecily Brown, who was deeply influenced by Indian art. These exhibitions will definitely enlighten you on the significance and impact that India had on international fashion and art, so do visit when you can—it runs till May 4th .

Cholamandal artists village, Chennai

Soak yourself in art in Cholamandal artists village which spans across 10 acres and has art and artists in every corner. The village is India’s largest as well as one of the most successful artist communes in India. It was established in 1966 and has grown to house a museum, restaurant, art book store, craft shop, an open-air theatre, an international contemporary sculpture garden, and guesthouses. Their main attraction Cholamandal Centre for Contemporary Art opened in 2009 and houses the artworks from artists of the Madras movement like KCS Paniker and S G Vasudev. This village offers a unique experience for visitors to submerge themselves in art and artistry. 

Salar Jung Museum, Hyderabad

If you are a fan of the classics then the art galleries of Salar Jung Musem is the place for you. From Pahari miniature paintings, to European artworks, this museum has it all. It is a very diverse experience as you can experience the works of famous artists like Raja Ravi Verma, Abdur Rahman Chughtai, and W.A. Bouguereau. It even has a Japanese and Chinese exhibit. Going through this museum will make you feel like you are on a journey across the world. 

ArtsAcre Museum, Kolkata 

Kolkata has always been the pioneer of Indian art scene, with Jamini Roy, Rabindranath Tagore, and Nandalal Bose home to these legendary artists. If you are interested in the Bengali art scene then the ArtsAcre museum is the place you need to visit. They have a very extensive collection of Bengali modern art as well as Indian contemporary art.