Dr. Alka Chadha Harpalani interprets the dialogues emerging from the International Painters’ Camp and Chitra Parishe.
Art camps possess a unique ability to dissolve distances, be they geographical, cultural, or even stylistic. From March 28 to April 1, 2026, the serene, nature-cradled surroundings of Nature Knots were transformed into a vibrant creative arena as the Krishna Setty Foundation, Bengaluru, hosted International Painters’ Camp, bringing together 23 artists from across India and abroad. What emerged was far more than a gathering of art practitioners; it became a living network of ideas where varied sensibilities met. The camp unfolded like a mosaic of parallel narratives, each artist contributing a distinct story.
The presence of Padma Bhushan awardee Jatin Das, imbued the gathering with a rare depth of gravitas and creative vitality. His participation was not merely ceremonial; it served as a quiet yet powerful source of inspiration. His interactions bridged generations of artistic practice; reaffirming the idea that art evolves through a\ dialogue between tradition and constant experimentation.
In his works, bold, sweeping lines articulate feminine forms, often depicted seated or reclining in moments of introspection. His strokes, fluid yet assured, capture not merely the physical presence of his subjects, but also their inner cadence.
In their explorations of identity and the rhythms of everyday life, Kandan G from Mangalore reflected on themes of transition and belonging. His imagery navigated the space between coastal memory and urban experience, often anchored by the recurring presence of powerful bulls set against layered fields of colour. These elements became metaphors for resilience, rootedness and the shifting terrains of personal and cultural identity.
From Bengaluru, G Subramanian brought his long-established mastery of collage and mixed media into focus through his well-known ‘She’ series. At first glance, the female figures appear nearly identical, arranged in similar postures and compositional settings. Yet, with closer viewing, subtle and deliberate variations begin to emerge in texture, gesture, colour layering and surface treatment.
These nuanced distinctions allow each figure to assert her individuality and emotional presence. Narrative depth, rich in detail, symbols and tactile textures, emerged vividly in the works of Madan Lal from Chandigarh. Drawing chromatic inspiration from the tradition of phulkari, his intricately rendered canvases were populated with tiny figures, delicate flora, and the recurring presence of the golden deer- ‘Kasturi’. Equally compelling was the work of Kariyappa Hanchinamani from Haveri, a police officer by profession, whose art is shaped by the emotional weight of his lived experiences while on duty. An oval window speckled with colour appeared to gaze outward from within his compositions, emerging from textures born of chance. Thinly spread base layers and fragments of scribbled text drifted across sweeping abstract strokes, lending the works a quiet, reflective intensity, as though the paintings themselves were bearing witness.
Finding form within freedom, several abstract practitioners allowed intuition to lead the way, yet each arrived at distinctly personal visual territories. Among them, Vijay Dhore, recently honoured at the 64th National Exhibition of Art, stood out for his fearless engagement with bold strokes and instinctive mark-making. In his canvases, forms seemed to surface organically from accidental gestures, as though the paintings were discovering themselves in real time. Layers of greens, greys, blacks and flashes of yellow guided the eye through compositions shaped as much by chance as by conscious intervention.
From Assam, Mintu Deka brought with him a lyrical sensibility rooted in the cultural textures and lush landscapes of the Northeast. His works carried a rhythmic pulse, where blocks of luminous yellow collided with restless black strokes, hovering over muted grey grounds, suggesting both turbulence and quiet continuity, much like the terrain that inspires them. Human stories and social memory find poignant expression in the works of Chennai-based Rama Suresh, who continues his evocative exploration of everyday life through his distinctive visual device, figures seen from behind. These quiet, suspended moments of stillness draw viewers into a space of silent reflection, where the absence of facial detail heightens the universality of the human experience.
The works of Prabhu Harasur are deeply rooted in the lived realities of marginalized communities. His imagery speaks of struggle, resilience and the search for identity, while simultaneously celebrating cultural continuity and collective strength. Built upon a muted grey ground, his earthy-toned figures emerge through asymmetrical patterns that unfold with careful deliberation. Through his layered structural blocks, Praveen Kumar reinterprets the language of architecture. His compositions capture the weight and density of built environments, reflecting the relentless spread of urban landscapes and the shifting realities of contemporary expansion. Buildings, in his works, cease to be mere structures; they become metaphors for human habitation, aspiration and the complex negotiations between space and society.
KK Gandhi approached the landscape through an intensely tactile and almost meditative process- scratching, rubbing and working through successive layers of paint to construct richly textured surfaces. His compositions eventually settled into the quiet presence of a solitary monk alongside an architectural form, introducing a sense of human stillness into vast natural expanses. This subtle insertion of figure and structure gave narrative resonance to lands that might otherwise have remained silent, transforming the landscape into a space of inner quiet. In a similar spirit of contemplation, Basuki Dasgupta’s works revealed a thoughtful engagement with form, texture and surface. His compositions unfolded through a measured arrangement of overlapping geometric circles, squares, and triangles, creating a rhythmic interplay of structure and balance. At the heart of this carefully ordered surface, a solitary red dot both disrupted and unified the composition, commanding attention while anchoring the visual field with quiet intensity. Extending the camp’s dialogues across borders and mediums, Singapore-based P. Gnana presented a versatile practice that moved seamlessly between painting and sculptural sensibilities. His use of unconventional materials such as layered cardboard, pasted, built upon and painted over- introduced a tactile dimensionality that blurred the boundaries between surface and structure. Artists from Sri Lanka, Achala Gunawardhana and Sudath Abeysekara, further enriched the camp’s international character. Gunawardhana’s expansive landscapes evoked a deep sensitivity to the atmosphere, while Abeysekara’s experimental multimedia practice explored cultural memory through recurring motifs most notably the crow. Through its repeated presence, the bird emerged as both witness and metaphor, anchoring his works in layers of folklore and contemporary reflection.
The camp also hosted several distinguished international artists, reinforcing its genuinely global spirit. Participants including Clemens B Sou from Austria, Simone Noseda and Barbara Perga from Italy, Julia Chubutkina from Kazakhstan, Nada Itani from Lebanon and Nazma Akhter from Bangladesh brought with them a rich spectrum of cultural and aesthetic sensibilities. Their presence transformed the camp into a vibrant space of cross continental exchange, where artistic ideas travelled freely across borders and traditions.
One of the event coordinators, Ganesh Dodamani, turned a large barrel into a vibrant artwork; its energetic splashes of colour echoing his recurring theme of petrichor. Nearby, Mamta Bora painted an antique vehicle that seemed to dissolve and re-emerge within her abstractions, suspended between memory and imagination. The same acrylic medium behaved differently in every hand, thin and diaphanous in one corner, thick and impasto in another, affirming how technique itself evolves into an artist’s unmistakable signature.
When the International Painters’ Camp converged with Chitra Parishe- Art Mela on March 29, 2026, the gathering ultimately stood as a reminder that art flourishes through plurality. The tranquil, manicured gardens of ‘Nature Knots’ became the setting for another expansive artistic congregation. More than 120 invited as well as participating artists from cities including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, Aurangabad, Kalaburagi, Hyderabad and Chitradurga gathered amidst the lush greenery, turning the open landscape into a dynamic field of creative activity.
The verdant, open-air setting encouraged artists and visitors to move freely, circulating through the gardens, engaging in conversations and exchanging ideas not only with one another but also with participants of the International Painters’ Camp.
Established masters and emerging practitioners worked side by side, their varied approaches intersecting in subtle yet meaningful ways. This coexistence of experience and experimentation created a rare atmosphere where learning flowed in multiple directions. The collective act of making transformed the gardens into a living, breathing gallery.
Beyond the studio-based practices, the camp and workshop also unfolded through a series of evocative live art performances by Dimple B Shah, Jeetin Ranger, Monica Nanjunda, Shivaprasad KT, Smitha Cariappa, and Sridhara T Gangolli. Their interventions unfolded gently yet deliberately across the expanse of the venue, transforming simple, everyday actions into gestures rich with layered symbolic resonance. What might have seemed ordinary at first glance, carrying handfuls of water from the pond to a designated space, filling it into fragile polythene bags or engaging with objects such as balloons, balls, paper boats and suitcase, gradually revealed itself as a deeply contemplative visual language. Each element was carefully chosen, each act quietly orchestrated, weaving together a poetic narrative that spoke of transience, environmental vulnerability, migration and the unseen emotional weight of personal histories.
As the day of artistic exchange drew toward its close at the International Painters’ Camp and KSF Chitra Parishe, the Krishna Setty Foundation, in association with the Cobalt Forum of Art and Music, presented SARVA—a world fusion concert led by French musician Martin Dubois, joined by Chiranthan Begoor and Ashwini Hegde. The graceful dance performance by Shwetha Vinyaas was met with great admiration and appreciation from the audience. As dusk settled over the campus, music began to flow through the open spaces, acting as a gentle yet powerful thread that connected the day’s diverse creative energies. Layered harmonies and moments of spontaneous improvisation carried the audience into an immersive sonic landscape, gradually gathering the day’s creative momentum into a serene and celebratory conclusion.
The camp and workshop arrived at a graceful and successful culmination under the meticulous and perfection-driven vision of CS Krishna Setty, whose unwavering attention to the smallest of details quietly shaped the event’s scale and elegance.
About the author: Dr Alka Chadha Harpalani is an Artist and Art writer, based in Bangalore.
email: alkachadhaharpalanig@mail.com
