By Dr Ved Prakash Bhardwaj
The trend of organizing art camps has grown significantly in recent years, although their commercial dimension is increasingly becoming dominant. When an educational institution organizes an art camp, however, creativity continues to remain the primary focus. The Indraprastha Institute of Information Technology Delhi (IIIT Delhi) has been consistently organizing art camps for the past several years. A distinctive feature of these camps is the inclusion of new artists each time, with creativity and artistic expression given greater importance than popularity in the selection process.
This year, too, IIIT Delhi organized its art camp from August 28 to 30, coordinated by Anoop Ratna. The participating artists were Amita Goyal (Jaipur), Debashis Dutta (Vadodara), Joel Gill (Delhi), Kanha Behara (Odisha), Rajeev Sarkar (Jharkhand), Rakhi Kumar (Delhi), Reena Bhatnagar (Chandigarh), Vandna Dubey (Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh), and Vishwajeet Singh (Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh). Guest artists Vinod Patel (Ahmedabad), Vijay Dhore (Hyderabad), and Kavita Nayar (Delhi) also joined the camp. Many students actively participated in the creative process, adding another dimension to the exchange of ideas and artistic practices.
It is heartening to see art camps being organized continuously over the years. Such gatherings provide artists with an opportunity to experiment and create new work while also meeting, interacting, and building connections with fellow artists. The exchange of creative processes, experiences, and ideas during these camps contributes to a healthy and stimulating artistic environment.
The camp was not limited to the creation of artworks. It also included discussions on art and film screenings. A film by Ravi Shekhar on the renowned photographer Raghu Rai was screened during the event. Actor and painter Pankaj Jha interacted with the participating artists, while on the final day, senior artist and art critic Ashok Bhowmik engaged with the artists in a discussion on various aspects of art and artistic practice.
One of the most distinctive aspects of the camp was the complete freedom given to artists to work in their individual styles. There was no predetermined theme, allowing each artist to follow their own creative instincts. There were no restrictions on the choice of medium either. As a result, the camp witnessed a diverse range of artistic expressions, from abstract to figurative works.
Such an approach makes an art camp more than simply a space for producing artworks. It becomes a platform for experimentation, dialogue, exchange, and collaboration—bringing artists, students, and art enthusiasts together in an environment where creativity can flourish freely.
Ashok Boumika with Ravi Shekhar and other guests on the occasion of film screening.
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