Arthshila Santiniketan in collaboration with Sher-Gil Sundaram Arts Foundation presents ‘Kasauli Art Centre 1976 – 1991: An Exhibition of artworks, prints and archival documents’

The Kasauli Art Centre was founded by Vivan Sundaram (1943-2023) at his family home ‘Ivy Lodge’ in the Kasauli Hills, which was bequeathed by his mother Indira Sher-Gil Sundaram to him and his sister Navina Sundaram. From 1976 until 1991, the Kasauli Art Centre held artists’ workshops, seminars and symposia on film and critical theory, and experiments in theatre-making, all of which underlined Vivan’s belief in interdisciplinary exchange as well as art-making as a practice of collectivity and dialogue. Artists, academics and cultural practitioners lived and worked on the premises of Ivy Lodge, in what was perhaps one of the first experiments in artists’ residencies in the country.

The exhibition consists of artworks, photographs, artists’ correspondence, catalogues and hitherto unseen archival material from the Estate of Vivan Sundaram. It explores different facets of the Kasauli Art Centre and charts its evolution through individual and collective praxis.

This exhibition has been produced by the Sher-Gil Sundaram Arts Foundation (ssaf.in) and is presented in collaboration with Arthshila Santiniketan. It is curated by Latika Gupta, with graphic design & production by Sourav Sil, logistics & accounts by Santosh Sahni, additional research by Malavika Madgulkar and exhibition assistance by Maithili Bavkar. Vivan Sundaram was involved with all aspects of the project until February 2023.