Supported by JSW and curated by independent researcher and curator, Shaleen Wadhwana, the 2026 Talks Programme– Rising to Challenge, brings together artists, curators, thinkers, and cultural leaders to address the overarching question: What Makes Art Happen? Each panel responds to this question with a “challenge”— from long-standing issues of access, accountability and social difference, to urgent contemporary concerns such as Artificial Intelligence and indigenizing cultural spaces.
All talks are conducted in English and Indian Sign Language (ISL), with some talks in Hindi, Punjabi, Odia, and Saura* live translated for the audience.
*Saura (also known as Soura or Sora) is recognised as one of the oldest Indigenous languages of the Indian subcontinent
THEMATIC PREMISE
The start of the Indian collecting ethos, with roots in historical guilds, patronage and growing with the creator of art in time – shaped the first steps of sustainable collecting. So, today. How do collectors nurture the way in which artists and creators grow with time? In this rarely talked about equation of collector-artist friendship, has it evolved from an informal space of comfort to a more formalised space of forming connections? We aim for collectors and artists to share with us today — what is the best way forward to grow their own contemporary artists and creators, and how can they cultivate friendships with artists of their time.
SPEAKERS
RADHIKA CHOPRA
Advisory Board member of Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art (FICA)
Senior Advisor, Kiran Nadar Museum of Art
Radhika Chopra is a collector and patron of Indian art based in New Delhi. Founding Director and current Advisory Board member of Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art (FICA), Senior Advisor to KNMA and Advisory Member of Lakshmi Mittal South Asia Institute at Harvard University’s Arts Council. She supported various projects, including My East is Your West, a collateral event at Venice Biennale 2015, and Word. Sound. Power, a collaboration between Tate Modern and Khoj International Artists’ Association (2013). Chopra is founder of luxury tea brand No. 3 Clive Road. Her patronage extends to exhibitions, artist support, and fostering international cultural exchange, playing a significant role in advancing contemporary Indian art’s visibility and institutional development.
DAYANITA SINGH
Artist, Photographer, Author
Dayanita Singh (b. 1961, New Delhi) is a pioneering artist using photography to reflect and expand how we relate to images. Her mobile museums—portable wooden structures holding photographs in endless sequences—explore archival possibilities and narrative potentialities. Her practice spans installation, painting, printmaking, and book-making; publishing is central, with books like Museum of Chance (2014) and Museum Bhavan (2017, winner of Paris Photo-Aperture Foundation Photobook Award and ICP Infinity Award). Singh’s work appears in collections including Tate, V&A, Metropolitan Museum, MoMA, and National Gallery of Modern Art. She was awarded the 2022 Hasselblad Award and her exhibitions have been presented at Hayward Gallery, MMK Frankfurt, Art Institute of Chicago, and Kiran Nadar Museum.
LEKHA PODDAR
Philanthropist and Art Collector
Born in 1950 in Calcutta, Lekha Poddar is a philanthropist and an art collector.
Lekha harnessed her passion for Contemporary Art, together with her son Anupam. They established Devi Art Foundation, in 2005. Their collection of Contemporary Art ranges from India and South Asia. There is also a substantial collection of Vernacular Art and Textiles. The Foundation is carrying forward their vision of making art created by Indian and South Asian contemporary artists more accessible to the public, From 2008 until 2025 the Foundation, has held at least 24 major exhibitions, most of them from their collection.
Lekha ,Chaired the South Asian Acquisition Committee, at Tate Modern, London from October 2012 to October 2024. She is also a Member of the Tate International Council, since October 2013.
VENKAT RAMAN SINGH SHYAM
Artist ( Pardhan – Gond )
Venkat Raman Singh Shyam is one of India’s most internationally recognised Pradhan–Gond artists, belonging to the Patangarh tradition of Madhya Pradesh. Rooted in the Jangarh Kalam lineage, his work reinterprets Gond cosmology, memory, nature, and contemporary life through painting, murals, sculpture, animation, and public art. With over three decades of practice, he has represented Indian tribal art at major international museums, biennales, universities, and cultural institutions, while actively contributing to cultural discourse through lectures, symposia, publications, and workshops worldwide. He is also a recipient of several awards, including Green Book Awards (2023), 6th International Crafts Award (Master Artist) in 2022. His works are held in major national & international institutions like the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA) [USA], Supreme Court of India, New Parliament of India, RBI and several private collections across India, USA, UK, Europe, and Australia.
SIDDHARTH H SOMAIYA
Chairman of the Board of Studies, Dr. Shantilal K. Somaiya School of Art
Siddharth H Somaiya works at the intersection of art, education, and technology, leading initiatives that hope to strengthen India’s creative and academic landscape. In his academic leadership roles as Chairman of the Board of Studies at the Dr. Shantilal K. Somaiya School of Art and as a member of Somaiya Vidyavihar University’s Academic Council, he plays a central part in redefining the future of arts education in India. He is also the co-creator of IMMERSE, an artist and curator residency under Somaiya Vidyavihar University that supports emerging voices from across India through mentorship and deep institutional engagement. Internationally, he serves on the Presidential Advisory Council at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and is the Chairperson of the Young Members’ Circle at Asia Society (India Center).
ANILAKUMAR GOVINDAPPA
Painter, Printmaker, Artist
Anilakumar Govindappa (b. 1993, Bangalore) is a multidisciplinary artist working across printmaking, painting, and ceramics. He holds degrees from KEN School of Art, Hampi (2012) and University of Hyderabad (2015). His work functions as a visual diary, documenting everyday life while addressing urgent concerns about urbanization and environmental degradation. Drawing from his childhood memories of villages transforming into cities and disappearing natural landscapes, Anila creates layered narratives that illuminate the sociopolitical forces reshaping our world. His raw, honest approach to image-making reflects genuine observation and humble introspection. Recent exhibitions include solo shows at Method Gallery, Mumbai (2023) and Blueprint.12, Delhi (2025), alongside participation in numerous residencies and international biennales.
MODERATOR
SHALEEN WADHWANA
Independent Curator & Researcher
Co-Curator, Indian Ocean Craft Triennal, Western Australia, 2027
Shaleen Wadhwana is an independent award-winning arts researcher, and curator based in India. Her academic research on decolonising museum pedagogy has been showcased through The Unfiltered History Tour by Vice World News UK at the British Museum, London, bagging 12 awards at the Cannes Lions Festival (France) – a first for India. She is the curatorial mentor and co-creator of the IMMERSE artist and curator residency fellowship program, and represents South Asia at the Asia Advisory Committee at KADIST. Currently, she is the Co-Curator for the Indian Ocean Craft Triennal, Australia, 2025-2027, was awarded a travel grant for CIMAM 2025, and is curating an exhibition about South Asian territorial histories which opens this year.
