The Inception Grant, initiated in 2020 in response to the challenges faced by emerging artists during Covid, has evolved into a significant stepping stone for South Asian artists, receiving over 1,000 applications annually. More than a financial aid, the grant provides access to our mentors and curators, facilitating year-long development for awardees.
Inception Grant Finalists Show 2024 presents creative expressions of 16 young and emerging artists, celebrating their resilience and creativity. Through the usage of a unique visual vocabulary, each artist’s authentic narratives mirror the world we live in today.
We received more than 800 artists from all over South Asia this year.
Our internal jury shortlisted 16 artists that were featured in the Inception Grant Show 2024.
INCEPTION GRANT 2024 JURY
Vibha Galhotra (b. 1978, lives and works in Delhi, India) is conceptual artist with a multimedia oeuvre consisting of sculptures, installations, photographs, videos, site-specific work, and public art interventions that address various ecological and socio-political issues rooted in the themes of climate change, urbanisation, and consumerism.
Sudarshan Shetty (born in 1961 in Mangalore, lives and works in Mumbai) is a sculptor and an artist, with a versatile practice delving into the world of human condition. His installations and large-scale multi-media works are embedded in the lyrical and sublime work of human existence employing a witty gaze.
Dr. Nuzhat Kazmi is a retired faculty and Founder Head, Department of Art History and Art Appreciation, Faculty of Fine Arts, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. Her writings are predominantly anthologized in volumes on art history, Mughal art and the European influences on late mediaeval and early modern Indian art. The main areas of specialisation are connected with Mughal painting traditions and her research has been cited in various writings of art history and criticism.
GRANT AWARDEES 2024
Aditya Puthur
Aditya’s art practice captures his fascination with the mutability of the human body and the ever-advancing fields of medical and biological science. This has also intrigued him to explore and understand different subjective experiences while simultaneously examining and critiquing pseudo-scientific claims. In his recent works, Through his work, Puthur attempts to merge the fields of science and art to better understand and communicate the complexities of the human body
Rajat Kumar
Rajat’s practice showcases his expertise with the medium itself while also providing an in-depth idea of his observant gaze. Often captivated by the mundane and overlooked, Rajat seeks to capture not only the physical space but also the atmosphere and sensation of it. The city, with its routine encounters, serves as a continuous source of inspiration. He tries to stay sensitive to the mood of the painting so that it has a soul of its own, by using traditional materials, colours, brushes, rollers, and scrapers on board, canvas, or paper, bringing forth subtle beauty of personal spaces.
Saadia Batool
Saadia Batool’s artistic journey has been deeply rooted in the exploration of archives, personal histories and the collective memory of her community “Hazara”, viewed in the realm of migration. Saadia’s work aims to recall, re-document and propose a rich tapestry of narratives of personal archives that are often neglected or lost in more formal archival spaces. A portrayal of this transient state: Layers of all the joys and commemoration of a period lived, all the loss and longing felt in these shifting landscapes, fading away gradually and becoming memories only remembered fleetingly and in fragments is presented through her creative vision.
SOLO SHOW AWARDEES 2024
Sanal Pt
Sanal’s works address social, historical, cultural interactions of body, space, landscape and time during the insights of Kerala’s subaltern history and the notion of “oppressed time” from colonial and Post-colonial studies. Sanal’s works are mostly concerned with landscape, treating it as an active rather than a passive entity, rethinking the memory sites associated with the landscape and at the same time trying to resolve the contradictions of representing them as neutral spaces. He works across different mediums such as kinetic art, installation, photography, painting, drawings, texts, and photo collages, etc. They materialise and transition by connecting their characteristic features with subjective concerns.
Agwma Basumatari
Agwma’s artistic practice encapsulates the essence of the Bodo people and their unique historical journey. Through his art, he aims to capture the authentic origins of the Bodo culture, paying homage to their rich heritage and history that has often been obscured by the passage of time. Primarily, his process is driven by a profound connection with colour, form, texture, and the meticulous medium of wood cut—a traditional process that pays respect to the environment. The focus lies in the realm of colour printmaking, and drawing inspiration from the natural hues found in the traditional attire of Bodo women, the Dokhona. Agwma’s work is a conscious effort to rekindle the spirit of the Bodo people’s bygone era, allowing their identity to shine through the printmaking process.
AMAR NATH SEHGAL INCEPTION GRANT 2024
Art Incept is delighted to partner with the Amar Nath Sehgal Private Collection for the Inception Grant 2024. This collaboration has allowed us to take the grant a step forward, helping us reach more artists and create a greater impact. This grant will provide monetary support and a mentorship programme with the team at Amar Nath Sehgal Private Collection!
Abhishek Chakraborty
Abhishek is based in Kolkata, India, and his research interest revolves around the use of ecologically sustainable and recyclable materials for creating artworks. This passion led him to undertake a year-long research project, culminating in his dissertation on the versatility of paper in sculpture. In addition to his individual practice, he is actively involved in origami, paper making, and bookbinding. In essence, Abhishek’s artistic endeavours strive to evoke a profound appreciation for the intricate beauty found within built and natural surroundings, while simultaneously addressing important societal and environmental issues of our time.
TACITA DEAN AWARDEE
We will continue with the Tacita Dean Award as part of the Inception Grant 2024. Tacita reviews the shortlisted finalists to select an artist to get the award, which comes with a cash grant! Dean is a leading global artist and works primarily in film. A Turner prize nominee, and the Hugo Boss and Kurt Schwitters Prize winner is the first artist to open three solo shows in the summer of 2018 in London at the same time at the National Gallery, the Royal Academy, and the National Portrait Gallery.
Olivia Saha
Oliva’s artworks are visual images of conversations with herself and delving into her subconscious world of desire and belonging. Emulating the aesthetics of classical frescos, the visual narratives exude a timeless charm, while taking us back in the poetic past. Oliva’s practice dissects the
materiality of a scroll as she uses her practice to create an archive of her life.
Her works are inspired by her life journey and many objects are represented as her womanhood. She grew up at times shying away from reality and the complexities of life, this escape emerges in gradual chapters in her artworks. They speak about her experiences of growing up experimenting with paper, making surfaces as a material dying, and staining as methods, using watercolours, tea stain, flower colour, Alta dye, Indigo, etc.