Kangra Miniature Art Camp on Folk and Rural Life Inaugurated; Governor to Inaugurate Art Exhibition and Gallery
A five-day Art Camp on “Folk and Rural Imagery in Kangra Miniatures: An Indigenous Indian Art Perspective” was formally inaugurated on Monday at the Indian Institute of Advanced Study (IIAS), Rashtrapati Nivas, Shimla. the unique art camp seeks to creatively explore and represent the many facets of folk life, rural culture, and India’s indigenous knowledge traditions through the celebrated Kangra miniature painting tradition and other Himalayan folk art forms such as the Chamba Rumal.
The inaugural session, held at the Seminar Hall, Siddharth Vihar, IIAS, commenced with a welcome address by Shri Mehar Chand Negi, Secretary, Indian Institute of Advanced Study, who welcomed the participating artists, scholars, and guests.
Introducing the theme of the camp, Dr Pankaj Gupta, Convener of the Art Camp and Former Fellow of IIAS, observed that while the Kangra miniature tradition is widely known for its depiction of mythology, seasons, and natural beauty, it also contains a rich yet relatively unexplored dimension reflecting folk life, rural culture, agrarian communities, local festivals, and the everyday life of the people of the hills. He noted that the camp aims to reinterpret these indigenous expressions in a contemporary context and preserve them for future generations.
In his inaugural address, Prof. Himanshu Kumar Chaturvedi, Director, IIAS, remarked that the relationship between folk life and art has always been deep and inseparable in the Indian cultural tradition. The true strength of Indian art, he said, lies in its roots, its sense of locality, and its close connection with the lives of ordinary people. At a time when many traditional art forms are facing the threat of gradual decline, such initiatives not only provide artists with a meaningful creative platform but also contribute significantly to the preservation of cultural heritage and its academic engagement.
He further observed that the initiative undertaken by IIAS is inspired by the cultural vision of Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore, who regarded art, nature, and rural life as the very soul of Indian civilisation. The Tagore Centre for the Study of Culture and Civilisation at the Institute, he added, continues to work towards advancing this broader intellectual and cultural vision.
The five-day camp has brought together six eminent Kangra miniature painters and two senior Chamba Rumal artists, who will create original works inspired by Indian folk and rural life, agrarian traditions, local festivals, folk beliefs, and the rich cultural heritage of Himachal Pradesh. These artworks will become part of the permanent collection of the Indian Institute of Advanced Study, enabling scholars, researchers, students, and visitors from across the country and abroad to engage with this vibrant dimension of Himalayan artistic traditions.
As the culmination of the Art Camp, a special exhibition showcasing the artworks created during the camp, along with the inauguration of the newly developed Art Gallery, will be held at 2:00 p.m. on June 19, 2026, at the Library Hall of the Institute. The exhibition and the Art Gallery will be inaugurated by the Hon’ble Governor of Himachal Pradesh, Shri Kavinder Gupta. The exhibition will feature selected creations produced during the camp, presenting a fresh visual interpretation of the Indian concept of folk and rural life through the medium of Kangra miniature paintings and the traditional art of Chamba Rumal.
The Indian Institute of Advanced Study believes that the Art Camp and the subsequent exhibition will serve as a significant initiative towards providing institutional recognition to traditional artists, encouraging the preservation of indigenous artistic traditions, and fostering greater awareness of India’s rich folk and cultural heritage among the academic community and the wider public.
The inaugural session was moderated by Dr Akhilesh Pathak, Public Relations Officer, IIAS, while the vote of thanks was delivered by Dr Rajeev Mishra, Librarian and Academic Resource Officer. The programme was attended by officers of the Institute, Fellows, researchers, artists, students, and several distinguished personalities associated with the fields of art and culture.
