New Delhi: The Pavilion of India was officially opened to the public at the prestigious 61st International Art Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia on Thursday, showcasing a landmark exhibition that brings together five contemporary Indian artists under the theme of memory, migration, and belonging.
The inauguration was attended by Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, President of La Biennale di Venezia, Secretary of the Ministry of Culture Vivek Aggarwal, and India’s Ambassador to Italy Vani Rao. Nita M. Ambani, Isha Ambani, and Sunil Kant Munjal were also present on the occasion, according to an official statement.
The exhibition, titled “Geographies of Distance: Remembering Home”, is curated by Dr. Amin Jaffer and presented by the ministry in partnership with the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre and Serendipity Arts. It features works by five artists – Alwar Balasubramaniam, Ranjani Shettar, Sumakshi Singh, Skarma Sonam Tashi, and Asim Waqif – whose practices engage deeply with questions of memory, material, and transformation rooted in Indian cultural traditions.
Speaking at the inauguration, Shekhawat described the exhibition as a reflection of a contemporary India that is both rooted and forward-looking, saying the pavilion demonstrated the strength of India’s cultural memory and the power of artistic expression to connect the country with the world.
Aggarwal said the exhibition brought together artists whose work engaged with questions of memory, material, and transformation, adding that their practice reflected the realities of a rising India while contributing to a broader global dialogue on belonging and identity.
Curator Dr. Amin Jaffer explained that the exhibition explored home as an emotional and material condition rather than a fixed place, saying the artists used fragile and organic materials alongside deeply personal narratives to reflect on how memory, migration, and change shape our understanding of belonging.
