On February 3, India announced the artists and theme of its national pavilion for the 61st Venice Biennale. Titled “Geographies of Distance: remembering home,” the exhibition marks the country’s return to the international art event for the first time since 2019.

Curated by Amin Jaffer, the exhibition will feature five artists—Alwar Balasubramaniam (Bala), Sumakshi Singh, Ranjani Shettar, Asim Waqif, and Skarma Sonam Tashi—and explore home not as a physical location but as a shifting state of fragmented histories, mythologies, and memories. 

Representing different regions of India, the five artists are united in their use of traditional organic materials, grounding the exhibition in a shared civilizational and environmental memory while responding to the nation’s evolving identity amid globalization. Combining movement, music, and visual art, the pavilion will also feature a curated program of performances and conversations over the course of the biennale.

Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, minister of culture and tourism of India, commented on the country’s return: “Through this pavilion, India affirms the strength of our cultural diversity, the vitality of our creative communities, and the role of art and culture in contributing to how our nation is seen and understood on the global stage.”

The pavilion is presented by India’s Ministry of Culture in partnership with the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre and Serendipity Arts Foundation.

Aisha Traub Chan is an editorial intern at ArtAsiaPacific.