When Kolkata-based contemporary artist David Malaker chose to do a residency at the Raja Ravi Varma studio, he had not imagined that something as everyday as a pair of pigeons perched on a doorway could become a subject of his paintings. Now a part of his collection, Malaker returned enriched by the “mix of Gujarati and Marathi influences shaped by the city’s royal past”.Ravi Varma, considered among the pioneers of oil painting in India, came to Vadodara in 1881 and created around a dozen paintings of the royal family, inspired by the Mahabharata and Ramayana.The five-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) and the Maharaja Fatehsingh Museum Trust for the Raja Ravi Varma Studio in Vadodara ended in August. This concluded an arrangement under which the restored heritage space became a working studio for contemporary artists who spent 30-45 days creating new works. Raja Ravi Varma (File photo/Special arrangement).Located in the green environs of the Lakshmi Vilas Palace grounds at the centre of Vadodara, the studio where the great 19th-century master painted on invitation of the then ruler of the erstwhile state of Baroda, Maharaja Sayajirao III, has become an inspiration for artists from across the country who brought canvases to life during residencies offered in the past five years.During his time in Vadodara, the Maharaja gifted Ravi Varma his studio on the palace premises, which remained dilapidated for years. In 2017, IGNCA under the Ministry of Culture signed an MoU with the Maharaja Fatehsingh Museum Trust to fund the restoration.“It was in a dilapidated condition, and as all of us know, it was the space where Raja Ravi Varma created his major paintings,” said Arupa Lahiry, regional director, IGNCA.Story continues below this ad“What we recognise today as the Baroda Collection was primarily created here. It is an integral part of India’s heritage.”Dr Sachchidanand Joshi, member secretary, IGNCA, identified it as a site the organisation should support during a visit to Vadodara, and the organisation provided funds to the erstwhile royal family, the Gaekwads, who engaged a heritage conservator to remodel and rebuild the studio using historical photographs for accuracy, said Lahiry.Also Read | In Ravi Varma’s frames, India learned to see itselfInspired by the master“Being in Raja Ravi Varma studio and after seeing those paintings at the Fatehsingh Museum really encouraged me to work differently from my previous practices both in colour palette and composition,” said Malaker.The residency also offered uninterrupted time in a large dedicated space. “The vast space inside the studio can really calm down your mind,” he said, promising to return to the city to explore more and paint more.Story continues below this adFor him, the residency’s value ultimately lay in the rare access it provided to Baroda’s royal heritage. “It is the only good platform for an artist to touch the history like this once in their modern art practices,” he said. David Malaker (centre) at the studio (Express photo).Prajith Elampilal from Kerala did a six-week residency at the Varma studio with his wife Neelima Nath. “ The experience was valuable because I could develop my paintings without the usual financial and practical pressures of maintaining a studio”, he said. According to him, a basic independent studio in Vadodara could cost around Rs 8,000-Rs 15,000 per month.“The studio was filled with natural light and wildlife; we regularly encountered monkeys, peacocks, squirrels, and even porcupines, which are rarely seen in the city,” said Neelima Nath.“Sometimes, monkeys would sit outside the glass side of the studio and watch us work,” she said. “These experiences found their way into my work, including a painting inspired by a family of monkeys I observed there,” she said.Story continues below this ad“There was an innate personal connection in working within a space associated with such an important artist.”About the open house, Nath said, “Because the focus was on sharing the process and engaging in critique with senior practitioners — rather than presenting finished work in a commercial gallery context — I felt more open to experimenting and taking risks.”Joseph J Joseph, who undertook his residency in August-September 2024, found that the physical space itself enabled work that might otherwise have been difficult.“The studio was perfectly maintained, and the size was also perfect for me because I was trying to do a large-scale work — about 21 feet by 7 feet,” he said. Joseph, who moved from Kerala, said the studio also helped root his work in Vadodara.Story continues below this ad“Usually, my works relate closely to the places where I stay and work,” he said. “My work here was based on Baroda (now Vadodara) and Barodian history,” said Joseph.The residency also brought artists into contact with senior practitioners through the Open House.“I got to experience critiques and feedback from a lot of senior artists and established figures. That was very helpful for shaping my future works,” said the artist.Focus on one artistLahiry says IGNCA received around 70-80 applications, of which a panel of judges picked one artist per cycle. The studio offered a monsoon cycle in July-August and a winter cycle in December-January. “Because our funding is limited, we prefer allocating the full resource to a single artist to provide them with adequate spatial and financial security during their term,” said Lahiry.Story continues below this ad“We provide a modest supportive grant and grant artists exclusive studio access for one to one-and-a-half months,” Lahiry said. “At the conclusion, rather than hosting a commercial exhibition — as this space was never intended to be a commercial gallery — we hold an ‘Open House.’ Senior artists and scholars visit to critique the work, engage with the resident artists, and offer guidance.”Manda S Hingurao, secretary and curator of the Maharaja Fatehsingh Museum Trust, says the studio, which began offering the residencies from 2021, might continue.“Our collaboration is not ending entirely; it is simply taking a different form,” Hingurao said. “The studio was consistently utilised for curated exhibitions, and IGNCA can continue organising events there as well,” she said.Hingurao said the studio would be used for “fundraising, lectures, and various other events — much like we did before”.Story continues below this ad“There were discussions on whether to turn it into a conservation laboratory or an office,” Lahiry said. “However, I felt it would be inappropriate to use the studio of one of India’s greatest artists as an administrative office. Upon taking charge, my priority was to return the space to artists,” she said.(Nishant Bal is an intern with The Indian Express, Ahmedabad)