Overview

KYTA (Karma Yatri Travel and Art) is an experimental residency program currently based in the Himalayan villages of Kalga (Sosan, Himachal Pradesh) and Stok (Leh and Ladakh). The focus of the residency is to research and explore the relationship between travel, living, culture, community, art and expression. The artistic focus is on the process and the confluence of various creative practices and thought streams across experimental human endeavour. As a framework for our annual group residency, we invite experimental artists, scientists, technologists and researchers from various disciplines and nationalities every year for a 5-week period. The participants are curated through a private network and recommendations from past participants and team members. The annual residency concludes with a public showcase including exhibitions, live performances and experiences, screenings, workshops and cookouts. We also facilitate other opportunities for custom site-specific research and projects as well as self-directed residencies through the year in both locations. We continue to build associations and partnerships with experimental artists, projects and institutions globally to expand the scope of cultural exchange with India. In our past editions, we have hosted a bilateral (India-France, 2015), a trilateral (India-Switzerland-South Korea) and an Indo-Europe edition in 2018 to produce close encounters and dialogues with different countries and cultures. In 2019, an Indo-Australian exchange will be initiated as part of KYTA 2019, in our inaugural edition at our new location and residency space - Stok, Leh.