Inauguration of the 2nd edition of the ASEAN-India Artists’ Camp marks 30 years of celebration of ASEAN-India ties

To mark the celebration of the 30 years of ASEAN-India dialogue relations, the second edition of the ASEAN-India Artists’ Camp, organised by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) and Seher, was inaugurated at the Taj Ambassador in New Delhi on October 10, 2022. Secretary (East) Ministry of

External Affairs Shri. Saurabh Kumar was the chief guest, and officials from the MEA, ambassadors and guests from ASEAN Missions to India were in attendance. The theme of the event is ‘Oceans of Connectivity’, which simply signifies the oceans with which these ASEAN countries are connected.

During the inauguration, the ASEAN artists and Indian artists were introduced to the MEA officials and other guests. The ten artists from ASEAN countries participating in the camp include – 1. Samrit Keo (M) - Cambodia, 2. Eddy Sulistyo (M) - Indonesia, 3. Melissa Abuga-a (F) - the Philippines, 4. Aye Myat Soe (F) - Myanmar, 5. Nabil Fikri Bin Haronli (M) - Brunei Darussalam, 6. Sone Khounpaseuth (F) - Lao PDR, 7. Edroger Rosili (M) - Malaysia, 8. Nguyen Phuong Linh (F) - Vietnam, and 9. Phattaraporn Leanpanit (M) – Thailand.

From India, 1. Sonika Agarwal (F), 2. Japani Shyam (F), 3. Nupur Kundu (F), 4. Laishram Meena Devi (F), 5. Anjum Khan (F), 6. Nin Taneja (F), 7. Vanita Gupta (F), 8. Yogendra Tripathi (M), 9. Mayur Kailash Gupta (M), 10. Dileep Dharma (M) and 11. Basant Bhargav (M) is joining the camp.

The camp will also include multiple interdisciplinary activities for the visiting artists giving them exposure to other forms of arts and traditions from India. Lecture demonstrations, seminars, discussions and other educational visits will be a part of this camp. The camp also has well-known painter Samindranath Majumdar as one of the mentors.

Addressing the artists and the gathering, Secretary (East) MEA, Shri. Saurabh Kumar, said, “This artist camp is an important youth-centric activity to bring together the confluence of creative energy from the 10 ASEAN countries and India, as we celebrate the 30th anniversary of ASEAN India dialogue relations. Enhancing people-to-people and cultural connect between India and ASEAN forms an integral part of current ASEAN-India engagements. The artists camp intends to take forward the tradition of creative exchange between India and ASEAN, while acting as a conduit to enhance understanding between our two peoples.”

Sanjeev Bhargava, Founder Director of Seher, said, “The second edition of ASEAN-India Artists’ Camp clearly indicates that the first edition was a roaring success in bringing people from India and the ASEAN countries together. The camp will take place in Udaipur, where artists will create their work, spend time with each other and exchange ideas. They will also be familiarised with the rich cultural traditions and heritage of all the participating countries.”

The nine-day camp will take place at Taj Aravali Resort in Udaipur, where artists will work on their pieces to create inspiring artworks. During their stay, the artists will engage in interactions and panel discussions on various topics and see the beautiful locations in Udaipur, like The City Palace, Pichola Lake and the city market. On the 19th of October, the artworks will be exhibited at the venue for people and the local city administration.