India’s art scene is booming in 2025, with unmissable exhibitions and festivals across Delhi, Mumbai, Goa, Kochi, and beyond. From immersive Van Gogh experiences to feminist showcases and global biennales like Kochi-Muziris and Serendipity Arts Festival, this year’s calendar is packed with thought-provoking, visually stunning events that spotlight India’s rising influence in the global contemporary art world.
There’s something almost poetic about walking through an art exhibition. The hush in the air. The slow shuffle of shoes on polished floors. The occasional audible gasp when a canvas hits a nerve. It’s the kind of environment that forces you to pause and absorb — something that’s becoming increasingly rare in the frenzy of our endlessly scrolling lives. Fortunately, 2025 is shaping up to be a monumental year for Indian art aficionados. From digital wizardry that brings Van Gogh to life, to contemporary exhibitions redefining the female gaze, India’s upcoming art calendar is brimming with creativity, culture, and conversation. But beyond the brushstrokes and sculptures lies a deeper narrative — one of economic growth, cultural resurgence, and India’s steady ascent on the global art stage. The 2024 Hurun India Art List reported a staggering Rs 301 crore in combined sales from the nation’s top 50 artists — a historic high, powered by rising disposable incomes and an art-buying public that now sees culture as both an aesthetic indulgence and a savvy financial investment. In a world full of volatile stocks and unpredictable markets, art, it seems, is one of the few things that continues to appreciate — in value and in sentiment. So whether you’re a collector with an eye for rare forms or just someone looking to escape Delhi’s heat inside a beautifully curated gallery, here’s a roundup of the most exciting exhibitions to bookmark for the rest of 2025. 1. Da Vinci & Van Gogh Art Showcase When: May 24 to August 31, 2025 Where: The Pavilion, DLF Promenade, Delhi Where else would you find Leonardo da Vinci and Vincent Van Gogh under the same digital roof? This immersive exhibition, brought to life by DLF Malls and The Legends Immersive Cinema, combines technology and storytelling on a 4,300 sq. ft. canvas. Think Dolby Atmos surround sound, 35 laser projectors, and 13 lidar sensors creating interactive magic. Highlights: Da Vinci Genius features floor-to-ceiling projections of The Mona Lisa and The Vitruvian Man, with a Grammy-winning soundtrack by DJ Sasha. Van Gogh – An Immersive Story takes you inside over 300 animated masterpieces like Starry Night and Sunflowers. Fun Fact: The AI-integrated installation lets you converse with the Mona Lisa. She might not give you stock tips, but it’s still a trip. 2. Serendipity Arts Festival When: December 12 to 21, 2025 Where: Panjim, Goa Now celebrating a decade of art, food, music and performance, Serendipity is less of a festival and more of a cultural pilgrimage. With over 35 curators — from Shubha Mudgal and Ehsaan Noorani to Lillete Dubey — this 10-day multidisciplinary fiesta promises sensory overload in the best way possible. What’s New: The festival is going international, with mini showcases in Birmingham and Dubai. The UK edition (May 2025) even featured live performances and exhibitions curated with Birmingham City University. 3. The Wondering and Wandering Mind by Haneen Almoosawi When: July 18 to August 27, 2025 Where: Gallery Pristine Contemporary, Delhi Making her Indian solo debut, Omani artist Haneen Almoosawi transforms thread and linen into portals of memory and emotion. Her use of stitched textiles layered with resin and light creates meditative spaces where abstraction meets intimacy. Vibe Check: Thoughtful, whisper-quiet, and emotionally resonant. 4. Shared Worlds – Exhibit 320 Anniversary Exhibition When: August 4 to August 13, 2025 Where: CCA Building, Bikaner House, Delhi Marking 15 years of curatorial innovation, Exhibit 320 brings together over 30 contemporary artists whose works navigate themes of gender, minimalism, materiality, and global systems. Expect installations, photography, and living art that blur the boundaries of form. Why It Matters: A rare moment to see the gallery’s entire philosophy unfold through the hands of its most impactful collaborators. 5. Morphogenesis by Akhil Anand When: August 1 to August 7, 2025 Where: ArtSpace by KalpaDruma, Chennai A mathematician at heart and an artist by calling, Akhil Anand — son of chess grandmaster Viswanathan Anand — explores the intersections of pattern, mythology, and logic. Morphogenesis is a visual odyssey that connects cosmic geometry with cultural storytelling. Fun Fact: Several motifs in his works are inspired by chess boards and game theory. 6. The Personal is Mythical When: July 25 to August 18, 2025 Where: LATITUDE 28, Delhi Curated by Bhavna Kakar, this exhibition weaves together the myth-making talents of Bhajju Shyam, Neha Sahai, and Viraj Khanna. Here, the personal becomes epic, and the epic becomes personal, blurring lines between folklore, identity, and memory. 7. Objects May Appear Softer… When: July 24 to September 4, 2025 Where: Black Cube Gallery, Delhi Featuring 21 Indian women artists across diverse mediums, this landmark exhibition delves into the feminine gaze, dismantling patriarchal narratives through deeply personal, ecological, and political lenses. Look Out For: Experimental use of textiles, found objects, and digital overlays that reimagine femininity in bold new ways. 8. Non-Residency When: August 9 to September 8, 2025 Where: City Palace, Jaipur Gallerist Rajiv Menon makes history with the first solo-gallery-curated exhibition at Jaipur’s City Palace. Non-Residency investigates diasporic identities through the works of powerhouses like Chitra Ganesh, Baseera Khan, and Shyama Golden. Backstory: It’s a rare exploration of how “not belonging” can itself become a creative space. 9. Baarish When: July 26 and August 23, 2025 Where: Travancore Palace, Delhi This one’s for those who find art in the sound of falling rain. A seasonal showcase timed with the monsoon, Baarish plays with texture, sound, and rhythm — from rain-drenched canvases to sonic installations. Short, poetic, and quietly spectacular. 10. Cities: Built, Broken by Sudhir Patwardhan When: September 6 to September 30, 2025 Where: Durbar Hall Art Centre, Ernakulam, Kochi Patwardhan’s poignant take on Mumbai’s relentless urban sprawl is both documentary and daydream. With over 75 works, including large canvases and miniature drawings, this travelling exhibition critiques modern India’s uneasy relationship with space and class. Did You Know? Patwardhan is a trained radiologist — his anatomical sensitivity is visible in how he renders the human body. 11. Art Mumbai 2025 When: November 13 to 16, 2025 Where: Mahalaxmi Race Course, Mumbai Art Mumbai is back for its third edition — bigger, bolder, and increasingly global. From Warhols to Picassos, plus breakout local stars, the fair is a heady cocktail of power collectors, gallerists, and first-time art buyers. Past Highlights: The ‘Sculpture Walk’ featured Ravinder Reddy’s Devi and Wolf’s Sea of Poppies, offering Instagram-worthy moments with intellectual depth. 12. Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2025–26 When: December 12, 2025 to March 31, 2026 Where: Fort Kochi, Mattancherry & Ernakulam The grand finale of the Indian art year — the Kochi-Muziris Biennale is more than an exhibition; it’s an ecosystem. Goa-based artist Nikhil Chopra and HH Art Spaces are curating this sixth edition, which explores identity, politics, and the body via an eclectic global lineup. Scale: Over 60 participating artists across three towns and four months. You’ll need more than a weekend. Whether you’re sipping coconut water under the Goan sun or navigating Delhi’s maze of galleries, 2025 promises to be a year where art doesn’t just hang on walls — it leaps out, stares back, and asks big questions. In a time when algorithms curate our choices and timelines define our interests, there’s nothing quite like standing still in front of a piece that makes your heart skip a beat. So go ahead, block those dates. Because art — at its best — isn’t just something you see. It’s something you feel. Events & Festivals
