Jaipur, January 31:
Jaipur Art Week continues to transform the city into a vibrant and participatory cultural platform through a diverse range of walks, workshops, curator-led tours and satellite events held across multiple locations. From nature-based morning activities to immersive culinary experiences in the evening, the day showcased art as an intersection of ecology, craft, sound, memory and community.
The day began with the “Kishan Bagh Walk: Exploring Desert Flora and Landscape,” led by Monal Singh. Participants were introduced to Jaipur’s desert vegetation and ecological landscape, gaining insights into the region’s unique plant life and terrain.
At the Rajasthan International Centre, a drop-in, child-friendly workshop titled “Santh–Gaanth” explored traditional knotting techniques using natural materials such as date palm, khejri and munj grass. Conducted by fellows of the Creative Arts Education Programme, the session focused on sustainable living, local knowledge systems and everyday craft practices. The workshop was an initiative of the Public Arts Trust of India and Learning Through Arts: Narrative and Discourse, with contributions from Pragya Soni, Praveen Singh Bhat, Swadha Joshi, Shubham Gehlot and Yashvardhan Dave.
Meanwhile, at the PATI headquarters, the session “Sound is a Place Too: Exploring Place and Memory Through Sound and Code,” led by Nanditi Khilnani (Ajaibghar), examined sound as a social and cultural experience. At Grey Space, C-Scheme, the workshop “Scent and Memory: Image Making Through Perfume,” facilitated by Vriddhi (Grey Space), explored memory, sensory perception and storytelling through personalised fragrances.
In the afternoon, an “Introduction to Natural Building” workshop at Central Park familiarised participants with mud and cob construction techniques. Led by Raghav Kumar and Ansh Kumar from Tiny Farm Lab, the session focused on eco-friendly building practices and participatory learning. At the Museum of Meenakari Heritage, Jawahar Kala Kendra, a curator walkthrough by the Jaipur Heritage Foundation highlighted the evolution of Jaipur’s renowned meenakari tradition from its historical roots to contemporary practice. This was followed by the workshop “Rethread: Self-Portrait Puppet Making with Bhatt Women Artists,” which centred on reuse, autobiography and cultural continuity through puppet-making.
Additionally, a curator-led walkthrough of four exhibitions was organised at Central Park, where the PATI team discussed the relationship between public art and the urban landscape. The day concluded with the satellite event “Dawatein” at Sama, Jaipur, presented by Taari. Inspired by royal kitchens and domestic culinary traditions, the experiential dining event brought together food, memory and conversation as a shared cultural experience.
Through its diverse programming, Jaipur Art Week continues to present art as a living, accessible and collective experience, deeply connected to the city’s ecology, craft traditions, public spaces and shared memories.