India Contemporary #1
210 x 270 mm, 120 pages
London, UK
Triannual
First published in 2026
Founders: Jagdip Jagpal and Jesse Ringham
Art director: Elena Feduchi
Guest editor: Veeranganakumari Solanki
India Contemporary is a new magazine devoted to contemporary Indian culture, with each issue tethered to a different theme, medium, or practice. Accompanied by a digital arm publishing stories on a weekly basis, this print iteration offers exclusive features ‘that extend beyond the pace and immediacy of digital publishing.’
This inaugural issue is an ode to painting, guest edited by Veeranganakumari Solanki, who presents the work of twenty artists ‘who paint as a way of life,’ paired with writing from a cohort of critics, scholars, and curators, using paint as a medium to understand these artist’s inner worlds and practices. Highlights include an enchanting selection of work from artist-of-the moment Salman Toor, analysed by curator Arushi Vats who delves into the contrasting themes of queer joy and despair in his oeuvre; Muna Bhadel’s ornate canvases are explored by Biraj Maharjan, reflecting on a series of conversations with the artist, and her discovery of the Mughal miniature painting style, an intricate yet small scale South Asian art form originating in the 16th century; and a series of paintings by Mahesh Baliga are examined by critic Rohit Goel, observing his commitment to modernism, impressive use of colour, and abstraction of his mundane surroundings.