2025 marked a transformative year for Indian art, defined by centenary celebrations of modernist giants, record-shattering auctions totaling over ₹1,000 crore in high-value sales, and global institutional milestones like the M.F. Husain museum opening in Doha.
M.F. Husain’s Untitled (Gram Yatra) set auction record
Sold for ₹118.62 crore ($13.8 million) at Christie’s New York in March, becoming the most expensive Indian artwork ever auctioned and signaling modernism’s blue-chip status.
Lawh Wa Qalam: M.F. Husain Museum opened in Doha
Qatar Foundation inaugurated the world’s first Husain-dedicated museum on 28 November, housing 150+ works in a 3,000 sq ft space designed from his sketches—sparking debate on India’s institutional gaps.
Tyeb Mehta centenary (1925–2025) with retrospective & sales
KNMA hosted his first major retrospective from 4 October; Trussed Bull (1956) fetched ₹61.8 crore at Saffronart, tying Amrita Sher-Gil’s record as India’s second priciest work.
The Progressive Group veteran’s milestone featured Christie’s previews, NGMA Retrospective, AstaGuru spotlights on his “bandwallahs,” and essays framing him as modernism’s living link amid market highs.
Vasudeo Gaitonde’s painting hits ₹67.08 crore
A yellow ochre abstract sold nearly 3x estimate at Saffronart’s 25th anniversary auction in September, making it India’s second most expensive artwork and driving a ₹355.8 crore sale—the highest for South Asian art globally.
India Art Fair’s record 16th edition
6–9 February at NSIC Grounds, Delhi, drew 116 exhibitors including Lisson and Zwirner, with strong emerging artist focus and institutional tie-ups, cementing its South Asian hub role.
Kochi-Muziris Biennale sixth edition launched
“For the Time Being,” curated by Nikhil Chopra, opened 12 December across 22+ Kochi venues with 66 artists, reinforcing its status as India’s premier contemporary platform.
Saffronart’s white-glove auction pinnacle
September’s 100% sell-through of 85 lots for ₹355.77 crore shattered South Asian records, with Hurun reporting top artists’ total sales at ₹310 crore.
Art Mumbai solidifies as regional powerhouse
Third edition (13–16 November) at Mahalaxmi Racecourse expanded with talks and walks, spotlighting South Asian galleries amid a maturing market favoring mid-high segments.
Regional festivals debut & scale up
Jodhpur Arts Week, Ahmedabad Cultural Week, Kolkata Weekender launched as city-wide firsts in October; Serendipity Arts Festival’s 10th edition (Goa, December) grew as India’s largest multidisciplinary event.
Athmaja Biju is the Editor at Abir Pothi. She is a Translator and Writer working on Visual Culture.
