THE COLLECTIVE STUDIO BARODA
Baroda, Gujarat – 1984:
Artists Rekha Rodwittiya and Surendran Nair established a unique opportunity for alternative learning within The Collective Studio Baroda, in the city of Vadodara. It originated in 1984 when Rodwittiya returned to India from London. However over the last twenty years Rodwittiya and Nair further developed the program to open their personal residential and studio spaces for young artists – providing boarding & lodging, financial assistance and personalized teaching in the traditions of an intimate guru shishya set-up. Though extremely structured in the methodologies of instruction and exposing the exploration of discoveries to young impressionable individuals, the program has deliberately kept itself flexible and fluid in how it defines it’s identity. The entry into The Collective Studio Baroda has always been by invitation only, addressed on the need-based circumstances of each individual.
Rodwittiya explains that the philosophy, which propels this initiative, is their personal belief that the study of art is truly impactful via a holistic process of imbibing. Where knowledge then offers an informed awareness through which to ideate as a responsible artist. The environment provided is one that insists on the development of independent artistic formulation through reading on contemporary cultural practices and aesthetics, personal writing, viewing world cinema, tutorial interactions, informal discourses, travel and sustained hours of studio practice. No fee is charged nor any payback via works of art is accepted for the facilities and teaching received. Each student/artist has a rigorous personalized timetabled work schedule that addresses their individual needs.
Over the years, many young contemporary artists have been part of this space of interaction. Among
the more recent young artists are Schon Mendes, N. Divya and Kim Seola who joined The Collective Studio Baroda at a formative age and who lived within this nurturing environment for many years.
Text Courtesy : Space118
Image Courtesy : The Collective Studio Baroda