Ten Days in Maharashtra

Ten Days in Maharashtra is the result of the first major British collaboration with the Institute of Contemporary Indian Art and the Arts Trust, Mumbai.

Eleven members of the Royal Watercolour Society travelled from the grey cold of an English January to the heat, dust and smoke of an Indian city to meet and paint with ten Indian artists. This shared experience has fostered a meaningful exchange of ideas and techniques, increasing the comprehension and appreciation of each other's cultures. The vivid works will be on show at Bankside Gallery.

Among the contemporary Indian artists involved are TV Santosh, Paresh Maity, Sanjay Bhattacharya, Rini Dhumal, Samir Mondal and Lalitha Lajmi. Lalitha commented that 'These interactions help us grow as painters, we may not use the same technique that another artist uses, but watching them at work and the knowledge that we take is always enriching'.

The British artists include President of the Society Richard Sorrell, Richard Bawden, Simon Pierse, David Brayne, David Firmstone, Janet Treloar, Agathe Sorel and Sarah Halliday. Sarah remarked: "The sacred life of India is woven inextricably with the day-to-day necessities of living. The grace and generosity of the people we met and saw has made a lasting impression on me. I wanted my paintings to celebrate the spirit of this place, past and present."