Carpenters Workshop Gallery debuts with sculptural artefacts at Indian Art Fair 2024

Carpenters Workshop Gallery, an art and design gallery, with spaces in Paris, London, New York, and Los Angeles, is making their debut at the currently ongoing India Art Fair in New Delhi, India. The art fair, a leading platform in the country for modern and contemporary art from South Asia, is an annual event that brings together various galleries, institutions and artists across various locations in Delhi, with the intent of fostering an enhanced artistic culture and free-flowing dialogues. India Art Fair 2024, on view from February 1 to 4, 2024, marks the 15th edition of the annual art event.

Carpenters Workshop Gallery, first opened in the year 2006, in London’s Chelsea, in a former carpenter’s workshop, is a leading gallery dedicated to the task of platforming and vitalising contemporary collectable art and design. Headed by Julien Lombrail and Loic le Gaillard, the gallery’s participation in the Indian art fair is marked by a collaboration with Mumbai-based architect and designer Ashiesh Shah. The gallery, along with Shah, have curated an exhibition around the theme of Querencia, which is a Spanish term referring to a ‘place where one feels safe, a home that serves as a source of inspiration and strength.’

When asked what drew the gallery to participate in the India Art Fair, co-founder of Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Loic Le Gaillard, shared with STIR, “We have a lot of Indian collectors who come and see us in the galleries in Paris, London and New York. Hence, we were very keen to come here and visit because we were very curious but it was also our way to say thank you to all our Indian collectors who came to visit us. Now, it was our turn to come and visit them.” Adding to this, Gaillard spoke about the fair’s relevance, “Our collaboration with the India Art fair has been rewarding so far and we’re looking forward to building a long-term relationship with the fair. We recognise the fair’s significant position in the Indian art world and the contribution it has made to building a diverse contemporary landscape in India. It’s impossible to ignore the majestic beauty and rich cultural history of India; it’s always been a territory we’ve been intrigued by, and we hope to garner further understanding of its history and how it can inform the perspective of the gallery going forward.”

Apart from Shah’s works, the exhibition also includes showcases by both contemporary and erstwhile artists such as Wendell Castle, Nacho Carbonell, Ingrid Donat, Karl Lagerfeld, and the Rajasthan-based Studio Raw Material, amongst others. The plethora of Indian and international artists platformed at the showcase are a reflection of the gallery and fair’s commitment to bringing a wide array of creative works from varied locations together. Some of the works on display include Karl Lagerfeld’s water fountain, intriguing creations by Nacho Carbonell and Maarten Baas’s single-edition coloured clocks. Ingrid Donat’s bronze and tribal-inspired design pieces are a special feature in the gallery’s booth.

Shah brought a unique perspective rooted in the Japanese philosophy of wabi-sabi as well as one that honours India’s rich past, while also inspiring a novel vision for the future. Enunciating upon the gallery’s collaboration with Ashiesh Shah, Gaillard shares, “Ashiesh is an amazing talent. It was a joy to be able to collaborate with him, to share ideas, brainstorm, agree to disagree, agree to agree, and try to come up with something which we felt was different. And, it was very important for us to be able to show some functional sculptures with the language of contemporary art—objects that are not just made with a decorative approach, but try to be sculptural, and, hence, can be viewed as an important piece of art. His commitment to craftsmanship and how he discusses artists, their work and creative process made the collaboration deeply enriching.” Various sculptural installations by Shah, previously displayed at STAMBH: Craft, Collaboration and Continuity in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha, as part of the G20 CWG meeting last year, made a comeback as part of Carpenters Workshop Gallery’s showcase at the currently running art fair in Delhi.

Sharing his thoughts on future engagements in India, Gaillard says, “Looking forward, there’s no real agenda, just the sheer joy of sharing the works of the amazing artists that we work with, while also trying to explore the opportunity to sign some talented designers, architects and artists who come from India, into the Carpenters Workshop roster.”