When you imagine art, what space do you see it in? High galleries or edgy experimental spaces perhaps, but what probably doesn’t come to mind is a quiet, rural village nestled in the hills of Himachal Pradesh. This is exactly what 4Tables is trying to change with their exhibition, In The Woods. They believe that art doesn’t have to be restricted by physical barriers. Come 3 June, they’ll be exploring this unconventional space with Mudita Bhandari, Frank Schlichtmann, Nikhil Narendra, Rohini Kejriwal and other artists.

Though they are best known for their triennial event ShopArt ArtShop, this showcase will focus solely on the gathering of music, art and spoken word. The village of Gunehar was chosen as the base camp because 4Tables is fighting the odds to develop the area as a responsible tourist destination.

Aside from the art show itself there will be opportunities to participate in workshops to learn more about the art of collage, clay sculpting, photography using your smart phones, and sound editing. The daily workshops are open to all but you need to register for the three day events. On the last day of the event (11 June), a discussion will be held.

In keeping with their ethos of art exploration, every part of the showcase is free of charge to encourage people to engage directly with their artistic capabilities.

The repression of art is well documented through history. Censorship or stigma follow many artists who step outside the realm of societal comfort to express themselves. By taking art out of the galleries and back to nature, the intrinsic freedom that art embodies has once again been discovered. So if you’re looking for a place to reconnect with the arts in a space untouched by the modern world, head to Gunehar to experience this magical event for yourself.

(P.S. All the art work up there is on sale, so you can come back with souvenirs!)

For more information on the event, please visit their page on Facebook, or their website.