Ahmedabad-based artist Rakesh Patel will present a sculpture at the Château du Grand Launay sculpture park in France, a project envisioned by noted collector Jean Marc Decorp. Spread across two hectares, the park features works by over 25 international artists and remains open to the public from April to October.
Patel is the only Indian artist invited to the initiative, marking a significant milestone for both his practice and the visibility of Indian contemporary sculpture on a global platform.
The inclusion stems from a long-standing professional relationship between Decorp and gallerist Harssh Shah of Iram Art. “Jean Marc has a discerning eye for contemporary art and when he saw the corten steel sculpture by Rakesh Patel, he realised that his was a talent which needed a public space to be displayed,” Shah said. “He saw the potential in Rakesh Patel to become a globally renowned artist.”
Shah emphasised the broader significance of this moment, noting that “very few contemporary artists from Ahmedabad or Gujarat have truly made a mark at the international level.” He added that Patel’s journey reflects sustained curatorial and professional development over five years, culminating in international exposure through fairs and institutional placements.
The selected work, titled Architectural Maze II, reflects Patel’s ongoing engagement with geometry, materiality, and spiritual abstraction.
The sculpture park itself features works by leading artists across Europe, China, Africa, Japan, Korea, the Middle East, and the United States, placing Patel within a global dialogue.
Patel’s practice, which often incorporates reclaimed materials and draws from craft traditions, continues to explore the intersection of material memory, spirituality, and form, now extending its reach into an international landscape.
Cover image: Rakesh Patel’s “Architectural Maze -II” for the sculpture park in France | Image credit: Iram Art
Athmaja Biju is the Editor at Abir Pothi. She is a Translator and Writer working on Visual Culture.
