The French Institute In India Announces The Villa Swagatam 2024-2025 Laureates

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.

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 contemporary South Indian theatrical scenes I'll be discovering during my stay.”

Kunaal Kyhan Seolekar, an Indian designer and architect from Pune, who will be welcomed at Mobilier National and Manufacture de Sevres, in Paris: "I have been striving to create a synergy between Europe and India in my design practice, collaborating with European manufacturers while sharing my Indian heritage and culture. My passion lies in 20th-century furniture design, working with materials like wood, metal, upholstery, ceramics, fiberglass, and textiles. I aim to refine my designs to their most sustainable versions, focusing on the intersection of upholstery and wood furniture making. My design aesthetic is sculptural and organic, inspired by modern 20th-century classics, integrating these learnings directly into my practice."

Antonin Mongin, French researcher and artisan/designer who will be welcomed at Vastrakala Craft Residency near Chennai: "I want to carry out my residency at Villa Swagatam to anchor my conceptual and creative practice in India. I would like to carry out a project linking the collection of hair donations from the Tirumala Temple, where pilgrims' hair is cut as an offering, with traditional embroidery practices at Vastrakala. This allows me to explore the origin of fibres used in artisanal textile activities, aiming to create textiles that encapsulate the individual stories and spiritual devotion of each donor. By integrating these elements, I seek to challenge the conventional view of cut hair as a commodity and instead elevate it to a precious and singular fibre with unique conceptual and material values."

All Villa Swagatam residency winners will be mentored by partners dedicated to enhancing their professional skills and be given the chance to explore new techniques and environments to further their practice. For many participants, this will be their first opportunity to immerse themselves in the cultures of France and India, where they are committed to fostering meaningful, long-term collaborations. For those already acquainted with these spaces, this is a unique opportunity to renew their professional and creative connections and advance specific projects.

The Villa Swagatam network consists of 29 residences divided into 3 categories:

● Biennale de Lyon, Jeune Création Internationale (Lyon)

● Centre National de la Danse (Pantin)

● La Maison de la Poésie de Nantes (Nantes)

● La Maison des Auteurs - Cité Internationale de la Bande Dessinée et de l’Image (Angoulême and Goa)

● La Maison Julien Gracq (Saint-Florent-Le-Vieil)

● La Marelle (La Ciotat)

● La Napoule Art Foundation - International collective residency (Château de La Napoule)

● La Napoule Art Foundation x Prameya Art Foundation (Château de La Napoule) Nomination of the laureate to be announced later.

● La Villa Gillet (Lyon)

● Mobilier National and Cité de la céramique / Manufacture de Sèvres (Paris)

● Alice Boner Institute (Varanasi)

● Eklavya Foundation (Bhopal)

● Himalayan Writing Residency (Sathkol)

● MAD Salon+Lab (Bangalore)

● Prakriti Foundation Residency (Chennai)

● Rachna Books (Gangtok)

● Sangam House (Bangalore)

● Sunaparanta Goa Centre for the Arts (Angoulême and Goa)

● Tara Books (Auroville)

● Brihatta Art Foundation (Dhaka)

● Hampi Art Labs (Hampi)

● Jaipur Rugs (Jaipur)

● Kalhath Institute (Lucknow)

● Katkatha Puppet Art Trust (Delhi - Mussoorie)

● Khoj International Residency (New Delhi)

● Nila House (Jaipur)

● Public Arts Trust of India (Jodhpur)

● Serendipity Arts (New Delhi)

● Vastrakala Craft (Chennai)

1. Ada, artist

2. Adrien La Fille, novelist

3. Ainesh Madan, dancer and choreographer

4. Antonin Mongin, researcher and artisan/designer

5. Ayesha Singh, artist

6. Bijal Vaccharajani, writer

7. Elvira Voynarovska, artist

8. Estelle Coppolani, poet and playwright

9. Fabien Toulme, graphic novelist

10. Floriane Zaslavsky, essayist

11. Gaspard Combes, artist

12. Jean-Marc Troubet “Troubs”, graphic novelist

13. Jeremy Demester, artist

14. Julia Lebrao Sendra, artist

15. Kunaal Kyhaan Seoleokar, designer and architect

16. Laurence Hugues, writer

17. Lauren Januhowski, textile artist

18. Lokesh Khodke, comic book writer

19. Marisol Santana, designer

20. Mathilde Rives, author-illustrator

21. Niyati Bhat, writer and Translator

22. Pauline Guerrier, artist

23. Rahul Bishnoi, playwright and researcher

24. Rohini Kejriwal, poet

25. Saba Niknam, artist

26. Sahil Naik, artist

27. Thibault Marthouret, poet

28. Valia Russo, artist