Patna: An exhibition emerging from a rural sketching residency will open in Patna this weekend, offering visitors an intimate visual account of life in Bihar’s Siwan district. Safarnama will be inaugurated at 5:30 pm on February 28, 2026 at Arthshila Patna and will remain on view for at least four weeks.
The exhibition grew out of Safarnama: The Sketching Camp, a special edition of the Katha Camp organised by Takshila. Since 2016, Takshila’s annual residency programme has sought to connect rural narratives with contemporary creative practice. This particular camp was held under the organisation’s integrated community development initiative, Parivartan, in Narendra Pur village in Siwan district.
Over six days, eight young sketchers from across India immersed themselves in the rhythms of village life. Guided by illustrator and animator Elen Shaw and artist-photographer Siddharth Kaneria, with a brief presence by graphic artist Orijit Sen, the participants used visual journaling to document daily encounters, conversations and landscapes.
The resulting exhibition brings together sketches, handwritten notes, essays and poetic fragments produced during the residency. Rather than serving merely as documentation, the works explore drawing as a language of emotion and response. Each artist presents a distinct interpretation of the same environment, creating a layered portrait of rural life rather than a single, unified narrative.
The residency’s output has also been compiled into a book titled Safarnama, featuring contributions from both participants and mentors. The publication is expected to be available online soon, extending the life of the project beyond the gallery walls.
Presented by Takshila and designed by ASK Design Creative, the exhibition is part of Arthshila Patna’s broader cultural programming, which spans architecture, cinema, design, literature and the performing arts. Organisers say the show aims to foster dialogue around how art can build connections between rural experience and contemporary urban audiences.
