Indian Summer: Major Exhibitions Spotlight Contemporary Indian Art in France

Two major exhibitions in France are currently showcasing contemporary Indian art. 'Indian Highway IV' runs until July 31 at the Musée d'art contemporain de Lyon, featuring young Indian artists after traveling through London, Oslo, and Denmark. 'Paris-Delhi-Bombay…' is on view at the Centre Pompidou in Paris from May 25 to September 19, juxtaposing Indian and French perspectives on India as 'the world's largest democracy', reviving the tradition of historical exhibitions like Paris-New York. Numerous accompanying events are taking place in Paris: the Musée Guimet presents works by Rina Banerjee (May 25-October 24); Galerie Templon exhibits a new installation by Sudarshan Shetty (May 28-July 23); Galerie Albert Benhamou shows works by three Indian artists; and Galerie Emmanuel Perrotin displays pieces by Bharti Kher. The magazine's dossier includes monographs on Amar Kanwar, Shilpa Gupta, and Tejal Shah, with contributions by Caroline Naphegyi and Marie-Christine Gayffier exploring the forces shaping Indian art. India has opened to contemporary art largely in the last decade, with new museums and private foundations emerging. The India Art Summit fair now takes place every January in New Delhi, and the first edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale will open in January 2012.