The RPG Art Camp 2012

One of India’s leading newspapers, The Hindustan Times, carried a report on The RPG art camp, aptly describing it as an art jamboree of sorts, courtesy chairman of RPG Enterprises and art connoisseur, Harsh Goenka, along with the chairman of Arts Trust, Vickram Sethi. Both have been pooling in their artistic resources since 1991 to put together this keenly awaited event.

Starting off as an art sanctuary for as few as eight artists, the event has now grown into a calendar-marked affair that features more than 20 artists. Providing further details of the event, writer Megha Mahindru mentions: “The six-day long camp will see works created by 23 artists, expressing their signature styles on canvas at an idyllic bungalow outside city limits. Those participating this year are veterans like Anjolie Ela Menon and Paresh Maity and young talents like Viraj Naik. Besides creating new artworks during their stay, the artists also discuss and interact with art lovers at the end of the camp.”

“Like families catch up at weddings, the RPG art camp is an annual meet that allows artists from across generations to come together, share ideas, learn and create. We have Kim Seola, who is a Korean artist, though she has been residing in India for two years. “Money is not our driving force. It’s the experience. There are times when we haven’t sold a single piece, but the experience has been enriching,” Sethi has been quoted as saying.

Harsh Goenka’s beach house in Marve gets transformed into an artist residency during this period. “Anjolie is the grandma of the camp. She has been a great guiding force for us since the beginning. The art camp is a great place that allows creative energies to flow, but artists are touchy people with big egos, and Anjolie has the tact to take care of any tiffs that may arise during the creative residency,” adds Sethi.

The camp concluded on January 21.