India on Thursday marked its return to the prestigious 61st International Art Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia with the opening of its national pavilion titled “Geographies of Distance: remembering home”, an exhibition exploring themes of memory, migration, identity and belonging in a rapidly changing world.
Presented by the Ministry of Culture in partnership with the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre and Serendipity Arts, the exhibition was inaugurated at the Arsenale venue in Venice in the presence of Union Culture and Tourism Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, President of La Biennale di Venezia Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, Culture Secretary Vivek Aggarwal, India’s Ambassador to Italy Vani Rao, Nita M. Ambani, Isha Ambani and Sunil Kant Munjal.
The exhibition marks India’s return to the global art event after its last participation in 2019 and brings together contemporary artistic practices rooted in Indian cultural traditions.
Curated by Amin Jaffer, the group exhibition features large-scale sculptures and installations by noted artists Alwar Balasubramaniam, Ranjani Shettar, Sumakshi Singh, Skarma Sonam Tashi and Asim Waqif.
Addressing the gathering, Shekhawat said the pavilion presents a contemporary India that is “both rooted and forward-looking.” He added that the exhibition reflects the strength of India’s cultural memory and the ability of artistic expression to connect the country with the wider world.
Curator Amin Jaffer said the exhibition examines the idea of “home” not as a fixed place but as an emotional and material condition shaped by memory, migration and transformation. He noted that the artists use fragile and organic materials along with deeply personal narratives to explore questions of identity and belonging.
Among the major installations on display is Permanent Address by Sumakshi Singh, a life-sized reconstruction of her demolished family home in New Delhi created entirely with embroidered thread. Ranjani Shettar’s Under the same sky presents suspended sculptural forms inspired by flowers and natural growth, while Asim Waqif’s bamboo installation Chaal reflects the changing landscape of contemporary Indian cities.
Alwar Balasubramaniam’s Not Just for Us uses clay and soil sourced from rural Tamil Nadu to examine memory and environmental change, while Skarma Sonam Tashi’s Echoes of Home draws upon Ladakhi architectural traditions and papier-mâché to reflect on ecology and cultural continuity.
The exhibition will run from May 9 to November 22, and will also feature a performance programme curated by Serendipity Arts across Venice, showcasing interdisciplinary presentations inspired by Indian cultural traditions and the Biennale’s theme In Minor Keys.
