It is always interesting to visit art galleries and enjoy the artists’ work, right? The Cholamandal Artists Village which is located on the outskirts of Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, holds a significant place in the world of art. Founded in 1966 by K.C.S. Paniker, a distinguished artist and the former principal of the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Madras, the village was envisioned to be a haven for artists to coexist and create, promoting an environment of innovation and cooperation. Lets get into the details of this art paradise and find out how we can spend our leisure with family.
Key Features Of Cholamandal Artists Village
The Cholamandal Artists’ Village is located near Chennai and is a thriving arts community that supports creativity and artistic expression. This unique village is home to a unique and exclusive collection of paintings, sculptures and art works mastered by the greatest artists who are living and working in the premises. Thus this art village is famous to be one of the few self-sustaining artists’ collectives in entire the country.
The village is not only a paradise for artists, but also houses a lot of renowned Cholamandal Centre for Contemporary Art, proudly featuring an art gallery showcasing the works of resident artists and a museum that meticulously preserves the history and evolution of the Madras Art Movement. This movement’s primary aim was to beautifully blend Indian traditions and folk styles with contemporary expressions of the artists.
Equipped with various art workshops and studios for mediums such as painting, sculpture, and printmaking, the village provides a platform for art exhibitions, workshops, and various cultural events, further solidifying its status as a vibrant cultural hub in the city. Over the years, this inspiring community has attracted artists, art enthusiasts, and tourists from around the world, making significant contributions to the Indian contemporary art scene.
The Cholamandal Village is a peaceful setting displaying the works of upcoming and established artists, painters, and sculptors from various parts of South India. It was built in 1966 and is just nine kilometres away from the city. The village houses an art gallery, a museum, and a vast amphitheatre for theatre performances. This is a residential village for the artists, so a polite reserve is appreciated.
Significance of the Artists’ Village
Cholamandal Artists’ Village stands as a unique example of how a community of artists can thrive together, independently sustaining themselves while contributing to the broader cultural and artistic landscape of the country. It continues to be a symbol of artistic freedom, collaboration, and features Village Tamil Culture Paintings with a unique blend of innovation and modernism.
Being a modern artist cooperative center located near Chennai, the Cholamandal Artists’ Village is one of India’s most significant experiments in proving self-sufficiency for artists. It was established in 1966, based on artist KCS Paniker’s vision of a refuge in which artists could live and work communally while sustaining themselves through their artistic practice. It culminated from the Madras Art Movement of the 1960s, which was intended to establish a regional artistic sensibility specific to South India. Referencing the artistic heritage of India’s past, it was named after the Chola dynasty of the ninth–thirteenth centuries CE, who are well-known for their patronage and love for arts.
Most of Cholamandal village’s early members belonged to the Madras School of Art, now called the Government College of Fine Arts, Chennai, as well as the Progressive Painters’ Association. Paniker, the principal of the former (1957–67) and a pioneering member of the latter, encouraged his colleagues and students to return to craft traditions and produce saleable goods using traditional techniques such as batik and leatherwork.
While ensuring self-reliance for artists in the challenging times, this would also introduce wider audiences to the country’s crafts in a contemporary idiom. The Artists’ Handicrafts Association (AHA) was set up in 1963 to facilitate this, and part of the proceeds from one of its early sales was invested into buying the land for Cholamandal at Injambakkam village, approximately nine kilometres from Chennai on India’s southeastern coast. Mahabalipuram Village Resort can be your right choice to stay and enjoy the art village with your family.
Sustainability of the Artists’ Village
Registered under the AHA, the cooperative began with thirty artists, including Paniker. Other notable artists include SG Vasudev, Anila Jacob, Arnawaz Driver, J Sultan Ali, V Viswanathan, L Munuswamy, M Senathipati, MV Devan, KV Haridasan, Akkitham Narayanan and Reddeppa Naidu. Previously, the village was just a barren plot of land away from the city and had no basic infrastructure in its early times. The artists lived and worked here in simple thatched-roof structures and spartan conditions, and devoted their precious time to producing craft goods for sale, while they also had to spare time for their artistic practice. These craft goods were sold through the AHA, now headquartered within the Cholamandalam village, and the earnings they made through the sales went into a collective fund, which was used for the artists to sustain. Resort in Omr Road offer you comfortable stay, thus making it easy to visit the museum and art gallery here, as they are close to the art village.
A percentage of the collective earnings was also dedicated to creating and maintaining communal infrastructure and studios, with visiting artists making specific contributions such as a pottery wheel and kiln. Also, German government funded a guest apartment in a gesture of goodwill. Apart from a few such inputs, Cholamandal has remained unique among collective artistic initiatives in the country in sustaining itself without aid from any private or government institutions.
What is there inside the Cholamandal Artists Village?
Spread over 10 acres, today Cholamandal houses about forty residences, many artist studios, guest accommodations, workshops, offices for the AHA, art galleries and an open-air theatre named ‘Bharathi’ after the renowned poet and Tamil nationalist writer Subramania Bharathi.
Within the Cholamandal Centre for Contemporary Art gallery, is the Museum of the Madras Movement, established in 2009 to display the work of the movement’s pioneering artists. A sculpture park hosts works from visiting international artists, many of whom came to Cholamandal on cultural exchange programmes. Cholamandal also houses Golden Oriole, a workshop and residency space, and two commercial galleries, namely Indigo and Laburnum. Resort Hotel in Chennai provides you all necessary facilities to stay and enjoy such tourist attractions at affordable rates.
In 2014, they hosted Contemporary Miniatures, a collection of small-format artworks by artists from across the country, paying tribute to the Progressive Painters’ Association and Paniker, who popularised the format to make art more accessible to the wider public and general audience. Cholamandal and its artists have received international visibility through platforms such as the Venice Biennale, the Paris Biennale and the Commonwealth Art Festival, London. In 2004, a book “Cholamandal: An Artists’ Village” was edited and published by Josef James. The book compiles a history of the cooperative, and essays on each member.
While the AHA continues to oversee the colony, few of the original residents remain, with most having moved away or died. Its more recent or present-day members include P Gopinath, A Selvaraj, D Venkatachalapathy, Rajasekharan Nair and Richard Jesudoss. In recent decades Cholamandal has attracted some criticism for remaining insulated with regard to the practices and mindset of its resident artists, and their perceived lack of openness to newer ideas and artists. It does, however, function as a tourist site, with its newer galleries in particular attempting to attract contemporary audiences. The art village is open for its visitors from 9:30 am in the morning to 6:30 pm in the evening on all days. It is located just within a 10-minute walking distance from the Golden Beach. The Cholamandal Artists Village Ticket Fee in Chennai is INR 20 for adults and INR 5 for children aged between 3–12 years.
In conclusion, Cholamandal Artists Village stands as a testament to the power of the artistic community and their self-sufficiency. It has not only provided a nurturing space for the talented artists to live and work together but has also played a major part in preserving the valuable cultural heritage of the region. It is the art village’s strong commitment to integrate traditional Indian art forms with modern expressions that has contributed significantly to the Indian contemporary art scene and is a true wonder the country can be proud of. As a vibrant cultural hub, it continues to inspire and attract numerous artists and art enthusiasts from around the world every year. The Cholamandalam Art Village, Chennai, remains a symbol of artistic freedom, collaboration, and innovation, making it a truly unique and invaluable asset to the artistic world of India.