• The camp brings artists from ASEAN, Timor Leste, and India into a shared creative space, where ideas will flow as freely as paint and conversations bridge cultures
• The masterpieces created during the camp will first be displayed in a special exhibition in Shillong, followed by showcases in New Delhi and Malaysia, the ASEAN Chair for 2025
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The ASEAN-India Artists’ Camp (AIAC) is set to return for its third edition from March 29 to April 7, 2025, bringing together 21 artists from ASEAN Member States, Timor Leste, and India for a ten-day residency in Shillong. Organized by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in collaboration with Seher, the camp will mark ten years of India’s Act East Policy, using art as a medium for cultural dialogue in line with the decisions taken and endorsed in the 21st ASEAN-India Summit and India’s comprehensive strategic partnership ahead in the field of culture.
First conceptualized in 2017 by Sanjeev Bhargava, Founder-Director of SEHER, AIAC has emerged as a key platform for cultural engagement between India and Southeast Asia. Unlike traditional diplomatic gatherings, it will offer a more intimate setting, where artists from different regions, tucked away together, will spend days exchanging techniques, experiences, and perspectives over steaming cups of tea. The focus is not solely on the stunning works they will create - though those are sure to impress - but on the quiet, meaningful exchanges that will echo long after the camp wraps up. Over ten days, artists will create original works, take part in workshops on classical dance, music, and handicrafts, and explore India’s artistic traditions in a collaborative setting. They will also hold interactive sessions with local art students in Shillong and conduct a special workshop at a local school, where visiting ASEAN artists will share their skills and experiences with young learners.
Some of the ASEAN artists taking part in the camp are Ms. Chong Ai Chezer (Singapore), Mr. Abilio da Conceição Silva (Timor Leste), Mr. Panich Phupratana (Thailand), Mr. PhonesithYernsensuly (Lao PDR), Ms. Mohana Kumara Velu (Malaysia), Ms. Lou Lim (Philippines), Ms. Nwe Ni Soe (Myanmar), Mr. Ros Norak (Cambodia), along with Indian artists Ms. MrudulaKunatharaju (multi-disciplinary artist), Ms. Mousumi Biswas (realistic figurative paintings), Ms. Japani Shyam Dhurwey(Gond artist), Mr. Kazi Nasir (realistic contemporary nature and wildlife paintings), Mr. Prakash Joshi (Phad artist), Mr. Aayush (wash painting), Mr. Vinay Kumar (Cheriyal artist), Mr. BappaChitrakar (Kali Ghat artist), Mr. Chandan Bez Baruah (Postmodernism in Landscape), Mr. Raphael Warjri (acrylic painting).
During the camp, the artists will talk about various forms of painting and their shared cultural histories in various styles and forms of art, initiated and guided by the esteemed Mentors of the Camp—Samindranath Majumdar, Tanmoy Samanta, and Yogendra Tripathi. Each artist will create one work of art, representing different styles—contemporary, modern, traditional, impressionist—while still carrying the essence oftheir own culture and history.
Mr. Sanjeev Bhargava said, "This camp feels like a heartbeat shared across borders. A gathering where artists don’t just meet, but truly see each other. It’s special because it’s messy and real: paint-stained hands, late-night stories, and the kind of laughter that bridges languages. For me, it’s about watching strangers become family through art, carrying their traditions and dreams into something new, something that lingers in your chest long after the brushes are down."
A virtual introductory session on March 25 will bring the artists together ahead of the residency. The official press conference and launch of the camp will take place in Delhi on March 29, before the camp moves to Shillong. The event will close with a ceremony featuring cultural performances and an exhibition, attended by senior officials from the Ministry of External Affairs.
The masterpieces created during the camp will first be unveiled in New Delhi in a two-day showcase before making their way to Malaysia, the ASEAN Chair for 2025, for a week-long exhibition. With each edition, AIAC continues to add a new dimension to ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations, using art to build deeper cultural and regional ties.
Source: Nyou