A growing number of Indian galleries and institutions are shifting their focus from emerging artists to established and late-career artists. Recent examples include a Himmat Shah retrospective at KNMA, Amitava Das's solo show in New Delhi featuring works from the 1960s to 2015, and Subcontinent gallery's inaugural exhibition of Haku Shah's seven-decade career. These exhibitions are often organized in collaboration with multiple galleries, such as Shrine Empire Gallery and Art Exposure Gallery, and aim to highlight overlooked art histories.
This shift matters because it challenges the prevailing trend of the last decade that prioritized emerging and early-career artists through residencies, scholarships, and gallery rosters. By turning attention to senior artists—whether retired, still practicing, or deceased—galleries and museums are rebalancing the art market and institutional narratives. This move not only preserves and celebrates India's modern art heritage but also offers collectors and audiences a deeper, more historical perspective on the country's artistic evolution.