SAIIER 2021:Auroville Art Camp 2021

Scuba Diving Training		“Nachiketas”
Auroville Art Camp 2021 by Herve

This is an Artist camp with artist residency taking place in Auroville. This Art Camp focuses on Indian national artists collaborating with Aurovilians artists and working on a specific theme during one week. Art students are also invited to participate as this is a great platform for exchange and learning.

Description of project:

The art camp took place from March 21st till March 27th, 2021. Participants were 19 artists and 3 students (9 Indian nationals, 10 Auroville artists, 1 Indian national student, 2 Auroville students). Artists were selected after a two month long call for artists published on social media and in the News & Notes. We tried to achieve a diversity of art practices and works in our selection of artists. We wished for our selection to be diverse so that established artists, emerging artists and others could work together. We selected only professional artists, whether they have followed an academic path or are self-taught.

We provided the artists a time and a space of creation in an atmosphere that encourages concentration and quality. They were provided in-kind support: travel, food, accommodation and art materials.

The artists prepared a collective art installation in a public space in Auroville during their stay. This year it was a mural that is now a permanent installation on the path going from the Visitors’ Centre to the Matrimandir viewing point. Creating art in public space is a platform to bring art to people and is an effective way of creating an interaction with the community, bringing in an audience that otherwise may not have the opportunity to experience and engage with art.

Schools and Aurovilians visited the artists while they were working during the open hours. We organised some visits of artist studios and art & craft units of Auroville, engaging resourceful interactions (collaborations, workshops).

The art camp also ended with an exhibition where all the artworks created during the art camp were displayed.

Outcomes:

A concentrated space for artists was provided where they could explore their artistic research within Auroville, experiencing the uniqueness of Auroville.

The diversity of the artists enabled the exchange of ideas and practices for emerging artists, established artists and students alike. There were many exchanges between the artists at different levels: artistic level, skills, practices, art communities, etc. They are able to form a network of support, for example to get in contact with galleries, and being informed of opportunities to display their art.

The invited artists created 23 artworks which were donated to Auroville. These were displayed in Centre d’Art, Citadines so as to share the outcome with the community. The collaborative mural is now an integral part of that public space.

Reflections:

Most meaningful about this project was the concentration and the quality of the artwork created during this week.

The organizing team learned how to collaborate and to create links with Aurovilians by manifesting into matter.

This second edition was more intimate as we selected fewer artists than for the first edition. We think this is the appropriate formula. For the coming editions, we will keep numbers not more than 20 participants.

This year exceptionally we selected students from Last School (usually we select art students who have already finished high school). Before the art camp along with the teachers we determined a specific frame. It was challenging for the teachers and for the students. We met the teachers after the art camp for an assessment and to see if and how we could renew the experience for next year.

Conclusion:

The art camp and the exhibition were a success; artists, the organizing team, and Aurovilians were very happy with how the art camp was conducted and its outcomes. We would like this to happen every year.