The Residency:
The residency far exceeded all my expectations. The Art Centre in the Township was a serene location and a contrast to the bustling Vadodara town. You could acquire your own space here to refine and develop your own ideas, but there were also plenty of opportunities to converse and bond with the other artists in the camp. The Indian hospitality was incredible and it was through these breaks in the programme that gave you the perspective on the opportunity and allowed conversations to organically develop. There were always lots of people to meet and talk about your work to, reinforcing the fullness of this opportunity.
The chance to taste local foods, experience the carnival kite-festival with locals, see how the Indian artists live and work, visit local exhibitions and the historic vs new architecture, get a taster for the complex language of the country, learn local dance and experience the different music was truly magical. The experience was visually and emotionally rich.
The chemistry of the group was fantastic, everyone wanted to make the most of this unique opportunity and the other UK artists were highly motivated to absorb and respond to their surroundings. As a result the engagement from the public and the press far exceeded all expectation, with articles in the newspapers and even TV exposure.
I’ve included the 3 key points, outlined with photographs, which I will really take with me as an artist at the start of my career:
Artist Community – building connections that will last a lifetime
My work – audience engagement (students, fellow artists, galleries, curators, the press)
The Kite Festival and beyond: inspiration to enrich my practice! (architecture/world heritage sites, block printing, stone inlay, fashion, food, exhibitions, cultural experieces)
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