New Delhi, Jan. 31 -- In 2022, Delhi-based curator Adwait Singh was invited to curate the Mardin Biennale in Turkey in a location close to the Syrian border. In one of the 19th-century limestone buildings in the town of Mardin, he brought together 40 artists from countries across the famous Silk Route, inviting them to reflect on the themes of dispossession and resistance. It was a career-defining moment for him.

"Since I didn't get to train as an artist, the next best option for me to explore the art world closely was in a supporting role," says Singh, who has studied art history and theory in the UK. "I see the curator as an enabler, someone who is there at the right time to make things happen."

When you break it down, that's a wide r...