The fourth edition of the Madras Art Weekend (MAW) unfolded across various venues in Chennai between December 3-6, 2025.
From a niche space for contemporary art to a high-anticipated celebration of Chennai’s vibrant art scene, the annual event – founded by Upasana Asrani – has gone from strength to strength since its first edition in 2022.
This theme for this year’s MAW is ‘Madras Reimagined’ bringing to life the question of how we can preserve the past while also crafting the future of a beloved city steeped in rich and vast history.
The main gallery exhibit at central venue Taj Coromandel showcased work from leading galleries across India from including Sarala’s Art Centre, Art and Soul, Memeraki, Ink Art, Reach Out Gallery, Art Nouveau, Gallery G, Baro Art Dhoomimal Gallery, Art Magnum, Jaipur Rugs and DakshinaChitra Museum.
A transformative movement that has steadily become part of Chennai’s cultural fabric.
From the vibrant textured canvas of Ink Art to Memeraki’s intricate, culturally-rich pieces and various curations rooted in abstractions, the exhibit immersed us in starkly different art styles, drawing us from vivid reds and blues to muted monochromes – each curation gives us pause as we take in every piece with both intrigue and introspection.
Some exhibits such as Art and Soul’s divinity-laden collection ‘Awakening’ with its three-dimensional canvases and Jaipur Rug’s conceptual textured installations catch your eye with its distinct ideation as does the cultural celebration of Chennai offered by Dakshinchitra’s exhibit.
Carefully placed sculptures whether at the centre of the room or tucked in corners added further to the immersive world of art that seemed to stretch on without loosing its grip on even the most untrained eyes.
One of the highlights among this year’s projects was the ‘Art Vandi’, a mobile art van that gives rural and remote pockets of the city access to art materials. Created in collaboration with NalandaWay Foundation, the idea is to engage schools and institutions across Chennai to ensure that the next generation of artists have everything they need to chase their vividly artistic dreams.
The programming also included a diverse array of panel discussions, exhibition walkthroughs, and performances bringing artists, designers, architects, gallerists, collectors, and audiences together in a genuine appreciation of art and culture.
In addition to the main showcase at Taj, this year’s edition also had collaborations with spaces around the city including Raw Mango, Gallery Veda, Lakshana, and more.
A transformative movement that has steadily become part of Chennai’s cultural fabric, Madras Art Weekend (MAW) continues to not only preserve the city’s art legacy but also reshape its future with every stroke of the brush.
Look back at this year’s event via the Madras Art Weekend’s official Instagram page @madrasartweekend
All images courtesy of Malvika Padin
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