The obscure but quaint Travencore House at Delhi was for a change, buzzing with activity on the opening night of The Art Fair. The idea is to promote new talent in art and put buyers, artists and galleries in direct contact with each other. Organized by the Habiart Foundation, The Art Fair is spread over two floors and has over 400 works on display—a delightful match of old artists like Jehangir Sabavala, late Gobardhan Ash, MF Husain and Jogen Chowdhury, to Pakistani artist Ghulam Rasool and Canadian artist Bryan Mulvihill. In its second year now, Isha Mody, the Fair Director says, “ It’s a great place for any new, upcoming artist to be. We have tied up with galleries, art institutions and two-artist groups. Galleries come scouting for talent but we only divulge sales figures once its over,” explains Mody.

The five-day affair has Mumbai-based gallery Art at Lakeer, Gallery Exposure from Kolkata, Genesis Art Gallery, Delhi-based Old Channel & V&L Associates along with the Goti Artist group and a Baroda-based group, participating. The Kolkata-based Goti group presented a collection of semi-abstract works. “The idea is to use a natural vocabulary to describe the relationships in the environment. The works are a blend of impressionism and expressionism,” says artist Chinmoy Ash, 28. Art At Lakeer has four participating artists from Indore and Mumbai,out of which one of the artist’s works have been painstakingly restored by the gallery owner. “R S Kanugo was a wonderful painter and an award-winning artist. I found the works in his home in Indore and restored them,” says Ritu Shah of Art At Lakeer. Ajoy Jain’s Returning Home, is a watercolour that evokes rustic Indian warmth, while Kanugo, a celebrated Indore-based painter has angular facades tinged with a sense of timid joy.