Sleepy village turns canvas for creativity

Lalit Mohan

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, June 12

Gunehar, a remote village of the Gaddi tribals, is abuzz with activity these days. Houses here have turned into a canvas for artists from India and abroad. Small shops made of mud look beautiful in different hues. Inside a house, the Taj Mahal has been painted.

The way village looks today is the result of a project started in 2013 by a German artist, Frank Schlichtmann, who started an art project ‘4tables’ in Gunehar. He brought 13 contemporary artists for a month-long event here. The artists started ShopArt ArtShop (SA AS), a unique conceptual project that brings emerging and established artists to a remote village for a month-long project, a festival of art, culture, exhibitions, movies, fashion shows and drama.

These days, the second edition of the SA AS, held every three years, is being organised at Gunehar village. The event will culminate on June 14.

Some internationally distinguished artists, including Ketna Patel and Puneet Kaushik, are co-organisers of the second edition.

A group of other excellent artists — Mudita Bhandari, Gargi Chandola, Sheena Deviah, Amrit Vatsa and others — have complimented those associated with the event. ShopArt ArtShop gives an opportunity to the artists to come together. They are free to experiment with colours and explore new methods.

The artists do not operate in isolation from the village and the villagers. They are chosen through a method called the ‘SA AS method’ which initially asks them to present a concept for their project which then during an actual three-week residency in the village, needs to be put to work in front of visitors and villagers, taking into account not only the local infrastructure and logistics, but also local sensibilities. The final works are then exhibited during a village-wide art festival.