This art market in Chennai celebrates the beautiful chaos of local artistry

Some spaces are built for selling. Others are built for sharing. The Art Market leans firmly towards the latter, offering a space where art is nurtured through conversation and discovery. Curated by Sunshine House, this gathering brings together artists whose practices are deeply personal, wildly different, and united by the need to make and to be seen.

In this market, art comes in different forms

This might not be your regular exhibition. Here linocut prints can be seen alongside crochet toys, hand-carved wood meets digital concept art, and installations, performances, and workshops, inviting visitors to explore new creations and artists from the city.

One such artist is Urusha of Paper Dolphin, for whom creativity has always been instinctive. “I was an artistic kid from the beginning. Art just melted into my life without me knowing,” she says. At this edition of The Art Market, she collaborates with DARE on a stall that resists polish in favour of honesty. Their Hoarder’s Garage Sale is an eclectic mix of art, supplies, merchandise, and thrifted finds. Based on the idea of reducing waste, the stall celebrates creative leftovers and forgotten experiments. “We don’t like seeing it go to waste. Hence, the Hoarder’s Garage—from one hoarder to another.”

A few steps away, the mood will soften at the market. At Shop Knora, Sareema Safiya’s crochet creations speak gently of self-expression and healing. “Art is something I’ve always turned to when I wasn’t able to express myself with words,” she shares. Crochet entered her life without intention or expectation, and that freedom shaped everything that followed. Her table blooms with forever flowers, cuddle bunnies, crochet toys and tiny desk buddies.”

Naveen Prashanth’s journey to art comes from a different place altogether. “I was convinced I had no talent or passion for anything,” he admits, reflecting on a childhood where art felt out of reach. After working in the high-pressure world of visual effects, he returned to drawing, this time with intention. “I don’t believe in talent. I believe talent equals passion that is pursued and worked on consistently.” His stall reflects that philosophy: digital prints, calendars, stickers, posters, charcoal drawings, and limited-edition merchandise inspired by video games, cinema, comics, and master painters. “This is my first time putting up a stall. It is scary, but I am also thrilled,” he says candidly.

Together, these voices shape The Art Market into a shared ground of creativity, experiments, and conversations.

Entry free. On February 1. 2 pm - 8 pm. At Backyard, Adyar.

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