New Delhi: The French Institute in India is pleased to announce the selection of the 29 laureates of the second edition of its residency programme Villa Swagatam for 2024-2025. From August 2024 to August 2025, French and Indian artists and writers will explore the rich cultures of India, Bangladesh, and France, spending between one and three months at their designated residences. Their host organizations have been chosen for their outstanding capacity to offer their residents an immersion in the vibrant creative milieus of their respective countries. This flagship initiative underscores the French Institute in India’s dedication to promoting cross-cultural exchanges in the realms of art and crafts and literature.
In its second edition, Villa Swagatam has expanded with four new residencies in India (Jaipur Rugs, Hampi Art Labs, Eklavya Foundation, and Sunaparanta Centre for the Arts) and one in Bangladesh (Brihatta Art Foundation). Bringing the initiative to a full circle, Villa Swagatam has also introduced opportunities for Indian creators to come to France. The French residencies cover a wide spectrum of artistic forms, such as dance (Centre National de la Danse), visual arts (Biennale de Lyon, La Napoule Art Foundation), arts and crafts (Mobilier National and Cité de la Céramique/Manufacture de Sèvres), poetry (Maison de la Poésie de Nantes), comics (Cité Internationale de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image), and literature (Villa Gillet, La Marelle, La Maison Julien Gracq).
Lauding the winners, H.E. Mr Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, said: “Reciprocity plays a vital role in our concept of cultural cooperation. The Villa Swagatam programme would not be complete if exchanges did not flow both ways, with Indian artists and writers being welcomed in French institutions. We are proud to have been able to introduce this feature from the second edition and wish to extend the programme to more neighbouring countries in the coming editions.”
This comes as a natural development after the remarkable achievements of the 17 winners of Villa Swagatam's inaugural edition in 2023-2024. Several artists have garnered significant international acclaim through notable exhibitions and presentations. Writers and graphic novelists are currently authoring books that explore India's rich traditions and unique landscapes, underscoring the programme's commitment to nurturing artistic and literary cooperation.
The call for applications for this second edition, from April 9th to June 2nd, 2024, was open to writers, graphic novelists, visual artists, designers, and cultural practitioners. The entire Villa Swagatam network, comprising French and Indian organizations, publicized the offer among their communities. Out of the nearly 450 applicants, 210 were French and 237 Indians, showing a great interest in more culture exchange and people to people relationship in the context of the bilateral relationship between France and India.
The final selection, made jointly by the French Institute in India, and the French and the Indian partner organizations, includes a diverse group of talented individuals. The selected 29 residents ranging from up-and-coming artists to established professionals, each one of them bringing unique perspectives and aspirations to the programme.
Hear more about the projects from the laureates:
Rohini Kejriwal, an Indian author from Bangalore who will be welcomed at Maison de la Poésie in Nantes: “As the founder of The Alipore Post, an independent publishing platform celebrating art, poetry, and music, I have dedicated myself to fostering community and belonging through the arts. Now in its ninth year, The Alipore Post has evolved from a poetry newsletter into a thriving creative community. My motivation to become a resident of Villa Swagatam in France stems from a deep desire to further my mission of democratizing poetry and nurturing creativity. My project, “The Poet's Playground” seeks to document and create a playground for poetry and visual art in response to the charming terrain, culture, cuisine and people of Nantes.”
Estelle Coppolani, French author from Reunion Island who will be welcomed at Sangam House in Bangalore: “My poetic work is inspired by my native island, Reunion Island, and in particular by my family history. Like many other people on my island, my Indian origins go back to the time of indentured labour. After the abolition of slavery in 1848, many French colonies reorganized their plantation system with massive Asian migrations, the vast majority of whom came from South India. These migrations reshaped entirely the islands, socially and culturally. South-Indian literary traditions are one of the many traces we preserved from this period. Dance and theater are the main focus of my project. I'd like to draw a parallel between the forms derived from Terukkuttu, Bayalataa or Kathakali theaters recreated in Reunion Island during the period of indentured labour (mid-19th century), and the...”
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