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
Who or what gives art its value? Is it the market – defined as ‘the people who might want to buy something, or a part of the world where something is sold’ in essence we are a part of the market, and we impact it as well. Is it the brand, the art-maker, the time in which it is made, its price, the ones who view it, the ones who write about it, the primary or secondary or tertiary market it is sold in and much more.
There is endless debate whether art is an emotion, a commodity, a product, an asset class, a Veblen good or…. all of these and none of these. In essence why do ‘you’ think art is valuable and in what way?
Stakeholders across the arts market – luxury, fashion, culture and retail – discuss why art is a long-term investment and what makes it valuable today and how. To unpack the overarching challenge of what makes art valuable – we bring in stakeholders from multiple vantage points – luxury, fashion, culture, retail – to tackle this question and give us a framework to find our answers.
SPEAKERS
DR. RAKESH MOHAN
Economist, former Deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India
Dr. Rakesh Mohan is President and Distinguished Fellow at the Centre for Social and Economic Progress (CSEP), New Delhi. A key architect of India’s economic reforms since the late 1980s, he served as Executive Director at the International Monetary Fund, Deputy Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, and Secretary of Economic Affairs and Chief Economic Adviser to India’s Finance Ministry. He chaired influential government committees producing landmark reports on infrastructure, railways, and transport. Author of books on monetary policy and urban economics, including ‘Growth with Financial Stability’ and ‘India Transformed: 25 Years of Economic Reforms’, he holds degrees from Imperial College London (UK), Yale (USA), and a PhD from Princeton University (USA).
PRIYANKA RAJA
Co-Founder, Director, Experimenter
Priyanka Raja along with her partner Prateek Raja, co-founded Experimenter in 2009 in Kolkata, India. The gallery represents and fosters the careers of some of the most celebrated artists from South Asia and the world. With a challenging multidisciplinary approach, Experimenter has garnered critical acclaim from leading publications and institutions. Priyanka co-established Experimenter’s acclaimed annual Experimenter Curators’ Hub in 2010, bringing together leading curators in visual arts over the years. She has led initiatives such as Experimenter Learning Program Foundation and Experimenter Books. With a growing program, in 2018 Experimenter opened its second gallery space in Kolkata. In 2022, the gallery’s third exhibition space Experimenter – Colaba opened. The Rajas are ardent supporters of creative endeavours, and in 2020 established the Generator Cooperative Art Production Fund.
MEGHA MALAGATTI
Managing Director of India, Hermès
Megha began her career as an engineer in Information Technology in India in 2004. After her ESSEC International Luxury Brand Management M.B.A. in Paris, she successfully transitioned into luxury industry joining S.T. Dupont, where she was managing all marketing and branding activities including development of products, limited editions, made-to-measure collections, innovation and communication globally for almost 8 years. She is also a member of the Colbert Committee, which unites the largest French luxury brands and promotes them around the world. After mastering the marketing and branding aspect, to strengthen her commercial role, she started a new chapter at L’Oréal Group in Paris as Business Development Director catering specifically to the ISC region. She further strengthened her marketing skills by becoming the Head of Marketing at SAPMENA region in the Luxe division. Her latest role at Hermès, as Managing Director of India, helps to amalgamate her experiences of India and luxury while reconnecting her with her roots.
ARNAUD MORAND
Head of Arts, AFALULA
Independent Curator & Cultural Strategist
Arnaud Morand is an independent curator and artistic director specialising in contemporary art and cultural strategy across Europe, the Middle East and the Global South. He advises the French Agency for AlUla Development (AFALULA) and the Royal Commission for AlUla on programme strategy and the development of museums and cultural infrastructures, and curated the 2024/25 season of Villa Hegra. He also advises the Saudi Ministry of Culture’s Visual Arts Commission on its platform Zawaya wa Afkar, supports Jumeirah Group on its global Arts & Creative Industries strategy, and undertakes advisory missions for institutional and private clients. He leads multidisciplinary teams and specialised vendors to deliver complex projects end-to-end. Recent curatorial work includes Future of Nostalgia (Art Week Tokyo), Orbis Tertius (Art Basel Paris), NEUMA, the Forgotten Ceremony (Art Paris), the first Jumeirah Art Journey (Art Dubai), and Noor Riyadh. He sits on the Artistic Committee of the 69th Salon de Montrouge and the curatorial committee of Asia Now 2025/2026. Formerly Cultural Attaché in Abu Dhabi, he oversaw the opening of Louvre Abu Dhabi and developed interdisciplinary public programmes for the museum. Named Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters (2021), Morand champions art’s role in public life.
JAMES GREEN
Senior Director and Head of London, David Zwirner
James Green is Senior Director and Head of London at David Zwirner, where he manages gallery artists’ careers, leads client development, and oversees the gallery’s presence at major art fairs across the UK, Europe, and internationally. James Green brings experience from previous roles at Stephen Friedman Gallery and Rebecca Hossack Art Gallery. He manages artists including Thomas Ruff and the Estate of Frank Walter, and has curated groundbreaking exhibitions introducing significant international artists to UK audiences—including the first UK solo shows of Polish artist Andrzej Wróblewski, Indian modernist Benode Behari Mukherjee, and Brazilian painter Amadeo Luciano Lorenzato, as well as Maxwell Alexandre’s UK debut. He is also a Trustee of Gasworks and Visiting Lecturer at Apollo Painting School.
DAMIAN VESEY
Director, International Specialist, South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art at Christie’s
Damian Vesey is Director and International Specialist in South Asian Modern + Contemporary Art and has worked for 14+ years at Christie’s, where he leads global sales and client engagement for one of the market’s most dynamic sectors. He holds an MA with Distinction in Contemporary Art from Sotheby’s Institute of Art, with a dissertation exploring nationalism, performance, and borders in Indian contemporary art, and a BA (Hons) in Art History from the University of Nottingham. Vesey’s expertise bridges scholarship and market practice, positioning South Asian artists within international collecting contexts and advancing critical dialogue around the region’s artistic contributions.
MODERATOR
KABIR JHALA
Art Market Editor, The Art Newspaper
Kabir Jhala is the Art Market Editor of The Art Newspaper, where he oversees global coverage of galleries, fairs, auctions, and trade developments. A journalist specializing in art markets, museums, and South Asia’s evolving art ecosystem, his writing bridges commercial and institutional spheres, with a particular focus on how the art industry operates and intersects with politics and economics. Jhala has lectured and moderated panels at the Royal Academy of Art, The Courtauld, and Sotheby’s, among other institutions, and has contributed texts for artists including Soumya Sankar Bose, Mohit Shelare and Elmgreen & Dragset.