How it all started
When you think of Rajasthan, you see desert, beautiful havelis, women wearing colorful dresses and of course camels, But now, there is something else to add to your list. A place called Mandawa Art Village, a place which is also considered to be the world’s largest open modern art gallery.
Situated 4 km from Mandawa, one of the main touristic cities in Rajasthan, well known for her magnificent painted havelis, Mandawa art village is a perfect example of what creative economy can bring to rural villages. Most of the time, people who live in rural villages have to live a poor life in half empty villages or leave to try to be integrated in big towns, in search of an hypothetical better life “Our idea is to offer an alternative choice to people who live in the village, through creative economy”, explain Amita D’Alessandro, french co-founder of Mandawa art village, together with Virendra Singh Shekhawat, director and founder of DPC, the most famous photography club in Delhi. “Through art, art workshops, art experience, creation of open air gallery, we develop a new form of artistic tourism which generates jobs in the village, offering a better life to villagers.”
One of the major attraction of Mandawa art village are the walls, painted by international street artists, a real art form which arrives immediatly to the heart of the touristis and of the people living in the village. New street art in Mandawa Art village and heritage frescos of Mandawa are a perfect combination for indian and foreigner tourists.
Mandawa art village offers a lot to tourists: art in public spaces depicting Indian rich culture and art forms created by renowned foreign artists, photography exhibitions, beautiful art installations and sculptures. photo and heritage walks, photography and art workshops, folk music concert, folk dance… Last but not least, the art village has peaceful places where it is possible to read, observe birds in the trees, pratice meditation and yoga or just chillax, enjoying a blue sky or plethora of stars at night.