Based in both India and the United States, Sana Rezwan has been actively engaging in the art scene besides building her own art collection. She sat on the Advisory Arts Council of Harvard University’s South Asia Institute and the boards of the Art Production Fund and Healing Arts, and was a patron of the South Asian modern and contemporary department at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Being the executive director of one of India’s leading real estate and property development companies, Sana Rezwan is also the founder of the Art Lab Studio, an art marketing agency specializing in strategy and partnerships. Moreover, she set up the Public Arts Trust of India (PATI) in 2022, which hosts several initiatives, ranging from artist residencies and arts education to curating and professional exchanges.
LARRY’S LIST has got chance to have a conversation with Sana on why it is important for her to collect South Asian female artists, why it is hugely valuable for her to meet the artists behind the works she collects; what motivated her to establish the Public Arts Trust of India; as well as her advice to art collectors who are curious about South Asian contemporary art.
What made you want to start collecting art? What is the main motivation behind your collecting?
My journey into art collecting started as a natural extension of my work with The Art Lab Studio, where I focused on bringing visibility to contemporary artists through strategic partnerships while I lived in New York. The main motivation for my collecting is to support and preserve the voices of South Asian artists, particularly women, who often don’t receive the global recognition they deserve. Now, I view collecting as a way to build bridges between the art world and broader audiences while fostering creative communities, which is why I set up my foundation, Public Arts Trust of India, after moving to Jaipur and New Delhi a couple of years ago.
When did you fall in love with a piece of art? What was it?
I distinctly remember falling in love with a piece by Nasreen Mohamedi. Her geometric abstractions and minimalist approach were mesmerizing and opened my eyes to the ways art can convey emotion through structure and simplicity. It was a pivotal moment that deepened my appreciation for the range of expression within Indian modern and contemporary art.
What is your focus regarding the artists in your collection? Why is it important for you to collect South Asian female artists?
My collection places special emphasis on female artists, many of whom have contributed significantly to the art world, but whose work is often overlooked or underrepresented including, Prabhavathi Meppayil, Ranjani Shettar, Manisha Parekh, Ayesha Sultana, Yamini Nayar, Seher Shah, Hemali Bhuta and Jasmine Nilani Joseph. By collecting and promoting their work, I hope to amplify their voices and ensure their stories are part of the global art narrative. More recently, I have expanded my collection to include the works of male artists from the Global South.
What type of art has consistently attracted you, or what is the theme that unites all the works you have acquired?
I’m drawn to art that challenges conventions and offers new perspectives, especially in the way artists interact with form, space, and cultural identity. The works in my collection often explore themes of heritage, memory, and the intersection of tradition and modernity.
What were the first and the latest artworks you purchased?
The first artwork I purchased was a contemporary piece by Shilpa Gupta and Rana Begum. Most recently, I have acquired works by Ghiora Aharoni, Lionel Wendt, Manjunath Kamath, Jayshree Chakravarty, and Anita Dube.
What considerations guide you to make a purchase?
When purchasing, I look for work that speaks to me emotionally and intellectually. I consider the artist’s message, their technique, and how their work fits into the larger context of contemporary art. I also prioritize emerging artists, as supporting their journey is incredibly fulfilling. Sometimes, I also work with my friend and art advisor, Jai Danani, to help build my collection.
Additionally, I often think about the conversation between the works in my collection and how contemporary art can bring a lens to traditional practices. In my Jaipur apartment, there is a pichvai work from Pooja Singhal’s Pichvai Tradition & Beyond initiative working to revive this age-old art form, juxtaposed with Bhimanshu Pandel’s organic sculptural forms that explore his agrarian family roots in the rural landscapes of Nagaur, exploring Rajasthan’s rooted traditions through a contemporary viewpoint.
What is your most treasured artwork?
One of my most treasured pieces is a work by Zarina Hashmi. Her exploration of displacement, borders, and belonging through a minimalist lens resonates deeply with me, both personally and in the broader context of South Asian history.
How important is it for you to meet the artists who created the artwork?
It’s hugely valuable for me to meet the artists behind the works I collect. Engaging with them allows me to better understand their vision and creative process, adding another layer of meaning to the pieces in my collection. It’s also a way to support them beyond the transaction of purchasing their work.
I feel strongly that collectors need to support emerging artists. PATI’s Jaipur Art Week and Jodhpur Arts Week have provided me with the opportunity to learn first-hand about the artist and their practice, broadening my perspective on art and the work of emerging artists, such as Shubham Sharma, Bhimanshu Pandel and Ayushi Patni whose works from Jaipur Art Week are now in my collection.
To ensure everyone has the opportunity to engage with artists, our programmes create moments for these exchanges. During Jaipur Art Week, we offer free workshops and immersive learning experiences by Kum Kum Fernando, Riaz Uddin, alongside emerging artists Vinayak Mehta and Narendra Kumar Sain. These sessions allow audiences to interact first-hand with the artists’ practice, exploring their own creative potential.
How many artworks do you own? Where do you display your collection?
I have not counted, but many of the works are displayed in both my personal and professional spaces, including our PATI Offices and Residency spaces in Jaipur and Jodhpur, as I believe art should be integrated into everyday environments where it can inspire and engage.
We will be launching a new gallery space for contemporary art and design at PATI HQ during Jaipur Art Week (27th January – 3rd February, 2025), which will provide opportunities for emerging artists to showcase their works and also for my collection to be shared with a wider audience. We will inaugurate the gallery with an exhibition of works by Manisha Gera Baswani, one of the first artists I collected, with Gallery Espace.
Have you ever presented, or would you wish to present, your art collection publicly?
I’ve showcased parts of my collection during special events, in collaboration with institutions like The Metropolitan Museum of Art and as part of the annual Art Weeks hosted by my own initiative, the Public Arts Trust of India (PATI). I’m open to future opportunities to present my collection to a broader audience, especially if it can spark dialogue about the importance of South Asian art.
Public Arts Trust of India (PATI)
What is your motivation behind establishing the PATI?
Addressing the lack of access to contemporary art outside India’s main metropolises, my motivation for founding PATI was to create a platform that celebrates and supports public art in India. Our definition of public art is bringing art into public spaces, through sculpture commissions in public parks, to Art Weeks that take over public venues, PATI makes contemporary art accessible to the wider community. All PATI’s initiatives and programmes provide free access foregrounding the notion that art belongs to everyone, fostering a culture of art appreciation, inspiring and educating, while giving Indian artists the opportunity to showcase their work on an international stage.
How was the experience of organizing the past three editions of Jaipur Art Week? What should we look forward to in the upcoming edition in January 2025?
Organizing Jaipur Art Week and watching it grow in scale and impact over its past iterations has been incredibly rewarding. Connecting local and international artists, collectors, art lovers and the local community, it is now an important incubator for early and mid-career artists, providing much-needed opportunities for them to expand their horizons and gain visibility in the international art world.
Edition 4.0 will run from the 27th January – 3rd February 2025, showcasing the work of over 20 artists whose work holds a connection to Rajasthan. The exhibiting artists were selected through an Open Call format, which received over 250 applications, with a jury of international arts professionals, comprising Darius Sanai, Judith Greer, Rana Begum and Jai Danani.
This Edition will bring a week-long programme of exhibitions, site-specific installations, performances and workshops to iconic heritage venues across the city, in partnership with Nagar Nigum Jaipur and Department of Archaeology & Museums, Government of Rajasthan, the Amrapali Museum, Golcha Cinema, Jaipur Rugs, Nila House, Khanoom and Ariash Jaipur.
Many of the selected artists’ work focuses on sustainability, rampant urbanisation, evolving societal structures, natural and human resource extractive practices, addressing global challenges through creative expression.
South Asian contemporary art
What is your advice to art collectors who are curious about South Asian contemporary art?
My advice is to take the time to immerse yourself in the culture and history of the region. South Asian contemporary art is incredibly diverse, with artists drawing from rich traditions while engaging with modern issues. Look beyond the surface and engage with the stories behind the artwork—it’s a journey that’s both intellectually and emotionally rewarding. To create a space for curators and collectors to do this, Jaipur Art Week’s immersive programme has been designed to create a meaningful platform for everyone to explore the work of new artists from the region while connecting with their practice.
For anyone wanting to explore South Asian contemporary artists, India Art Fair is the platform to visit. The work exhibited is always of outstanding quality, with each of the exhibiting galleries making sure you see the best of everything in one place.
Can you name some emerging South Asian artists who should be on our radar?
Three emerging artists to watch are Kiran Kumar, who explores dance, critical historiography, and speculative computing within his multidisciplinary practice; Apnavi Makanji, whose work centers on displacement and queer ecologies, with an emphasis on decolonization, botany, explorations of memory and the idea of home; and, of course, Shailesh B. R, whose work explores collage-making in which he prioritizes the spatial play of colour, texture, form, and line, as well as kinetic sculptures, is also an artist who should be on everyone’s radar. Originally from Rajasthan, he started his career as an assistant to Nasreen Mohamedi.
Artists showcasing at Jaipur Art Week Edition 4.0 to watch, include Harshit Agarwal who explores the intersection of emerging technologies like AI, AR, VR, and 3D printing with creative expression; and Valay Gada, whose multidisciplinary practice spans sculpture, drawing, video installation, scenography, and craft-based design.
What was your happiest or most memorable moment being involved in art?
One of my happiest moments was the inaugural Jodhpur Arts Week, where I saw artists, local communities, and visitors engage with art in public spaces. It was a realization of what we can achieve when we create platforms that bring people together through art. We were able to achieve this very special moment with the support and partnership of organisations including British Council India, Institut Français, Jaipur Rugs, India Art Fair and local government bodies Nagar Nigum Jodhpur and the Jodhpur Development Authority.
PATI’s partnership with the LOEWE FOUNDATION, supporting artisans from India to apply for their prestigious Craft Prize, was also a moment when I realised the important role we play at PATI in elevating and promoting unique and innovative talent through our international partnerships and platforms.
Who inspires you the most in the art world?
We are also very fortunate to have an inspirational Advisory Board at PATI: Darius Sani, Andrey Furmonvich, Pooja Sood, Cora Schebani, Yulia Dultsina, Judith Greer, Jai Danani, Rana Begum, and Dr. Madeleine Haddon. Each of them inspires me through the work they do within the fields of contemporary art, design, and jewelry.
Jaipur Art Week Edition 4.0
Date: 27 January – 3 February, 2025
Venues: Heritage venues across Jaipur, including Hawa Mahal, Albert Hall Museum, Jal Mahal and Golcha Cinema, and more
More information: http://jaipurartweek.com
Related: Public Art Trust of India, Jaipur Art Week
Instagram: @sana_rezwan, @publicartstrustofindia, @jaipur.artweek
A selection of artists Sana collects:
Anita Dube
Apnavi Makanji
Ishita Chakraborty
Jayshree Chakravarty
Zarina Hashmi
By Ricko Leung
