Artists in Residence
The artist studios of Last Ship are situated opposite the UNESCO World Heritage temples of Khajuraho. The Viswanath temple built in 999 AD is right in front, less than 20 meters from Last Ship.
Little known prehistoric and ancient historic sites in this region tell parts of a story more than 10,000 years old, of the Mughals, the Chandelas, going back to the Guptas, the Kushans, the Shungas and the Indo-Greeks all the way to prehistoric cave-dwellers, revealing secrets of the birth of the philosophies of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism and their common Tantric spiritual traditions.
The artists of the residency are invited to have their own experience of this heritage, like the sadhus, aghoris, and mystics who make solitary pilgrimages through this region, called the most powerful tantric region in the world, in search of enlightenment.
The Last Ship residency program is a one-of-a-kind experience of a history, nature and culture, hidden in the chaos and turmoil of contemporary India, and artists whose development would benefit the most from this experience are selected for the program.
Applications open for 6 to 8 week residencies | Oct 24 to Mar 25
Deadlines
Oct-Nov residency : July 27
Nov-Dec residency : Aug 14
Jan-Feb residency : Sep 6
Feb-Mar residency : Sep 25
About the residency
The new Last Ship residencies are opportunities for the experiencing the heartland of ancient India, in a unique, small, and intense region that is probably the only place in India that has prehistoric and historic sites showing the evolution and links from the Mesolithic through the golden age of the Indian civilisation all the way to the present.
This is the region between the UNESCO World Heritage site Khajuraho, and Kalinjar, a yet unknown hill, fort and temple, roughly at a distance of 134 kms.
Because of being cutoff from the the progress and urbanisation that is sweeping across the rest of India, this region has kept a lot of its natural and archaeological beauty and ecosystems intact. But this is fast changing. The relentless march of the changes India is now going through, with its complex political and ideological shifts, is altering this landscape. The next few years offer the best opportunity to experience many disappearing intangible treasures.
Artists are invited to apply for 6 to 8 week residencies that will be between October 2024 to March 2025.
Please indicate your preferred start and end dates in your application.
Please keep in mind that if you are selected, it may not be possible to fix the exact dates you prefer. Final dates will be negotiated between the artists and Last Ship, and some flexibility will be appreciated.
Residency features
The residency at Last Ship does not ask for a tangible outcome from the artist. The artist can choose to create work or not, or may spend time in contemplation, research, exploration without tangible results. What is expected is respect for Last Ship, and some degree of participation and engagement with its community, as much as the artists personal space and own rules of engagement permit.
Please read and understand the following very carefully.
Khajuraho is also a religious site for Hindus, and a popular venue for their weddings. Hence there is a lot of sound of prayers and/or music in the outdoors, often at odd hours. Noise and other stimuli are part of the experience of visiting India, and artists are advised to be mentally prepared for this.
Selected artists will have to bear the costs of their travel to and from Khajuraho, and of their work material and production costs as applicable. No stipend will be provided.
The costs of accommodation, food and local travel will be borne by Last Ship.
Artists will be required to stay with Last Ship at any of its spaces within the Khajuraho-Kalinjar region for the whole agreed duration of their residency, and not be permitted to travel outside unless required for work or an emergency.
Each artist will be provided
A private furnished studio with a work sink and toilet, fully accessible 24/7, at Last Ship, less than 20 meters away from and in front of the 999 AD Viswanath Temple. The studios are part of the Last Ship space, along with a shared study/library, and other guest accommodations. They are also suited for sleeping over, with a couch/bed, and food available.
All day food and drink from our on-site outdoor/indoor restaurant, coffeeshop and bakery.
A private 105 sqmt furnished independent 3-room, 2 bathroom house with a shared fully equipped kitchen and dining space, 5 minutes from the studios.
A bicycle, and shared use of a car and driver, coordinated with other artists/guests (usually 2-3 others).
A dedicated artist page on Last Ship's website.
Application procedure
Applications should be emailed to jmilastship@gmail.com. They should include the following:
An artist's statement describing your work and motivations.
Images of recent work, or extracts from video and/or other media, with captions.
A CV/Resume.
A statement describing your plans if offered the residency. These plans can be changed during the course of the residency.
Any other relevant documentation.
A cover sheet with name, contact address, email and telephone numbers, along with the preferred date of arrival in Khajuraho for the start of residency, and confirmation that you will stay in Khajuraho for the duration agreed upon for your residency.
Selected artists will be notified by email. We are unable to reply individually to other applicants.