An urban forest takes root inside India Art Fair as Max Estates commissions a living installation

Design head Saumya Saxena says the project reflects a long-term view where art, ecology, and community stewardship intersect

Noida, 5 February 2026: Max Estates Limited has brought a living forest into the heart of the India Art Fair 2026 through FOREST II, a site specific installation by Sri Lankan born Austrian artist Raki Nikahetiya. Commissioned by Max Estates, the work reimagines the art fair installation not as a temporary exhibit but as a regenerative ecosystem designed to endure beyond the fair.
FOREST II is conceived as a walled forest rather than an object, challenging the ephemerality of exhibition culture. The installation is a fully functional, Miyawaki inspired pocket forest composed of more than 200 native and endangered plant species suited to the semi arid climate of the Delhi NCR region. Through dense, multi layered planting, the forest is designed to accelerate ecological succession, restore biodiversity, and create habitat within a compact urban footprint.

The sculptural enclosure of the installation has been constructed using approximately ten tonnes of reclaimed metal sourced from Max Estates’ construction sites, reinforcing the developer’s approach to responsible material reuse. Within this structure, a mix of canopy, understory, and groundcover species contributes to soil regeneration, microclimate cooling, and the return of birds, butterflies, and pollinators to the space.
Speaking about the collaboration, Saumya Saxena, Head of Design at Max Estates, said the installation reflects the company’s belief in creating spaces that last and improve lives responsibly. She said the partnership with Raki Nikahetiya allowed Max Estates to extend its LiveWell philosophy into the cultural realm, where art, environmental care, and community impact develop together over time.

The artist described FOREST II as a process rather than a static artwork. Raki Nikahetiya said the installation invites a slower engagement with the city, recognising care, time, and coexistence as essential elements of making. He said the growing forest affirms that regeneration is a collective act and demonstrates how nature can return to dense urban environments through sustained stewardship.
Visitors access the installation through an opening in a four metre high wall, entering a shaded, immersive landscape designed to be experienced rather than observed. Layers of soil, emerging canopy, and a future oriented soundscape experienced through headphones create a multisensory encounter that foregrounds environmental resilience within the city.

FOREST II has been conceived with a permanent legacy beyond the fair. Following India Art Fair 2026, Max Estates’ landscaping team will relocate and continue to nurture the forest at one of the company’s developments. There, the installation will continue to grow as a living community asset, contributing to carbon capture, soil enrichment, and long term ecological value.
FOREST II is on view at India Art Fair 2026 from 5 to 8 February at the NSIC Grounds, New Delhi.

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