StoneX launches three-year residency programme for French artists in Rajasthan

Bengaluru, Oct 30 : In a major cultural initiative aimed at bringing Rajasthan's rich stone heritage and traditional craftsmanship onto the international art stage, StoneX Global, in collaboration with the French Institute in India (IFI) and Villa Swagatam, has launched a three-year artist residency programme in Kishangarh, Rajasthan.

The programme will bring French artists to Kishangarh, providing them an opportunity to explore the region's geological heritage, stone landscape, traditional craftsmanship and artisan communities, while drawing inspiration from local materials and indigenous knowledge for contemporary artistic expression.

French sculptor and multidisciplinary artist Vincent Voillat and artist-designer Sophia Taillet have been selected for the inaugural 42-day residency, scheduled from October 25 to December 5. Their works will subsequently be showcased at the India Art, Architecture and Design Biennale (IAADB) 2026, organised by the Ministry of Culture at the historic Red Fort from December 4.

The initiative aims to establish Kishangarh as a hub for international creative exchange, bringing together contemporary artistic practices and traditional material knowledge. Through direct interaction with local artisans, the programme will explore the connections between craftsmanship, cultural memory, geography and contemporary design.

Voillat's artistic practice focuses on geological formations, rock samples and archaeological layers, examining the relationship between territories, their inhabitants and collective memory. His residency in Kishangarh will allow him to explore stone beyond its conventional industrial and commercial applications.

Taillet works at the intersection of art, design and craft, exploring how movement and gestures can be translated into material forms. She collaborates with artisans, workshops, dancers and composers, and has exhibited her works at Palais de Tokyo, Fondation Pernod Ricard and Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature.

Grégor Trumel, Director of the French Institute in India, said the partnership added a distinctive dimension to the Villa Swagatam network by placing material, craftsmanship and geographical identity at the centre of cultural exchange.

He said Kishangarh offered an extraordinary setting for French artists to experience Rajasthan through its landscapes, artisans and living traditions while contributing their own artistic perspectives.

StoneX Global Group Chief Marketing Officer Sushant Pathak said the residency extended the philosophy of The Guild in Kishangarh, reflecting the company's commitment to stone, craftsmanship, knowledge and mastery.

He said the initiative would enable artists to experience Kishangarh as a living ecosystem of material knowledge, craft and culture rather than merely a destination associated with the stone industry.

Princess Vaishnavi Kumari of Kishangarh, who is associated with the initiative as a selection panel member and patron of community and artisanship, said the programme would bring regional artistic traditions into dialogue with contemporary practices from different cultural backgrounds.

She said such exchanges would enrich both artists and artisans while bringing renewed attention to Kishangarh's artistic heritage and living traditions.

The selection panel also included Sweta Agrawal, Director of StoneX Art; sculptor Shanthamani Muddaiah; Darren Watson, Creative Director of StoneX Global; and former French Cultural Attaché Amandine Roggeman.

Villa Swagatam, launched in March 2023 by the French Institute in India and the Embassy of France, operates a network of around 30 residency partners across France and South Asia, facilitating collaborations among artists, writers and cultural practitioners.

Established in 2003, StoneX Global operates in the natural stone sector, with The Guild in Kishangarh serving as its centre for research, refinement and craftsmanship.