Shalini Passi Hosts AI Weiwei at Delhi Home During His First India Solo

Art patron, collector, and cultural advocate Shalini Passi recently hosted internationally acclaimed artist Ai Weiwei at her New Delhi residence, during his first solo exhibition in India.

The meeting unfolded as an intimate, wide-ranging exchange rooted in art, architecture, and shared values of cultural inquiry. Ai Weiwei, currently in India for his solo at Nature Morte, expressed deep admiration for Passi's residence, noting its openness, natural light, and seamless integration of art and landscape.

He was particularly taken by the bamboo elements in the home, repeatedly admiring their beauty and how they interact with the architecture. The artist appreciated the balance between lush greenery and carefully curated artworks, describing the space as open, green, and thoughtfully composed.

During the visit, Ai Weiwei engaged closely with Shalini Passi's personal collection, showing keen interest in the diverse artifacts she has gathered from around the world. He was especially drawn to the works of contemporary Indian artists in the home. He admired the textures of Zarina's works, engaged deeply with Husain's paintings, and responded warmly to Bharti Kher's pieces, appreciating the variety of materiality and surface across the collection.

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Shalini Passi also shared her journey as a collector and cultural advocate, referencing her earlier meetings with Ai Weiwei in London, and spoke about her ongoing projects, including her book and her series on Netflix. The conversation reflected a mutual respect for artistic rigor, independence, and the importance of storytelling across mediums.

More than a private visit, the meeting highlighted Shalini Passi's role as a cultural connector, someone who brings together global artistic voices within an Indian context that is confident, contemporary, and internationally engaged. By opening her home as a site of dialogue, she reaffirmed her commitment to fostering meaningful exchanges beyond institutional walls.

As Ai Weiwei's work challenges systems of power and memory within formal exhibition spaces, his experience within Shalini Passi's home offered a parallel narrative, one where art, nature, architecture, and lived experience coexist. The moment stands as a reflection of Passi's vision: positioning India as a vital, living space for global contemporary thought.

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