2015
“SUMMER RESIDECY PROGRAM”

D.I.S.C. The Art Residency brings to you a truly unique and enriching experience through our journey-type residency programs, an unparalleled attempt within Odisha. Our programs open doors for artists of all backgrounds to a journey of discovery, innovation, sharing, and creativity by collaborating with local artists, we aim to nurture the skills and creative ideas, creating a lively workshop to exchange of cultures.

In the summer of 2015, from August 1st to September 14th, we hosted a remarkable residency program. Three international artists, Andrei Borisovich Fomiriakov from Cheboksary, Russia, and Jacqueline Briggs from Scotland, UK, joined us with boundless enthusiasm. They wholeheartedly embraced our summer art residency program and connections with local artisans, including the skilled golden grass weavers from Barua, Kendrapada, potters from Fakirpur, Keonjhar, and soft stone carvers from Dhakotha and Kantipal villages in Keonjhar, Odisha.

This residency program was meticulously designed to allow artists to get into the crafts of the coastal belt and the ancient art practice of terracotta and stone carving methods practiced in eastern Odisha. Each resident artist immersed themselves in the socio-cultural practices of the region, experiencing meaningful collaborations with local artisans. For a week, they experienced life in the artisans' village, working with ancient skills. Subsequently, the artists have visited to Dhakotha village and Kantipal to engage with art of soft stone carving. After another week, they returned to the Fakirpur base camp, where they joined the terracotta artisans' families to explore this traditional practice.

Following the terracotta workshop, they joined an artist camp and collaborated with young contemporary artists from Odisha, including Satya Ranjan Rout, Jagatjeet Dash, Ranjan Maharana, and Priyom Talukdar. During their time at the base camp, all artists were free to work on their individual art practices, a unique blend of personal expression and local artistry.

About the Exhibition:

The Summer Residency 2015 Visual Art Exhibition, hosted at Subhadra Art Gallery in Bhubaneswar, was a testament to the transformative power of cultural exchange. The participating artists were deeply influenced by the local arts and the beauty of village life, which they beautifully portrayed on their canvases. Their artworks radiated the charm of traditional designs and offered a glimpse into the social lifestyle of the communities they encountered.

The artists embarked on experimental journeys with various mediums, including watercolors, acrylics, oil pastels, and local colors. They skillfully translated their travel experiences onto canvas, stone, terracotta, basketry weaving, golden grass, and local colors. The knowledge and skills exchanged during workshops played a pivotal role in shaping their artistic creations for this visually captivating exhibition