Course General Description

The specialisation in Curatorial Practice: Film, Media & Visual Arts is a two-year, full-time programme designed to develop professional and academic excellence in the field of curating and to encourage students to curate projects and create a national and international network of peers and collaborators for their work. This specialisation is founded on the premise that there is no separation between practice and theory in curatorial work and that curators operate across a vast ecology of contexts and spaces, from the museum, to the commercial gallery, to the artist-led space, to the festival, to a lab, to new creative ventures. In today’s art world, the role of the curator often blends in with that of the artist, the publisher, the researcher, the archivist, and the creative entrepreneur. This programme responds to such interdisciplinarity by offering practice-led learning that combines the study of art history, aesthetics and exhibition histories with developing skills in critical writing and thinking, as well as project development and management. The students will explore the ethical, philosophical and political dimensions of current debates in contemporary art and culture, and will be encouraged to respond to the historical, political and cultural contexts of South Asia. The programme adopts the methodology of fine art practice and supports the development of an independent practice and research. It will offer a combination of taught seminars and workshops, along with the production of curatorial projects developed individually or in groups. The workshops will cover subjects such as critical writing, reading, and hands-on skills in exhibition design and project management. The programme will also include talks and visits with professionals in the art and cultural sectors, and students will benefit from the connections they will establish with artists, curators, gallerists and creative entrepreneurs.

School General Description

Srishti Institute of Art, Design & Technology (Srishti) is a design school established in 1996 by the Ujwal Trust in Bangalore, India. It offers design education in Digital Video Production, Film, Visual Communication, Experimental Media Arts, Design in Education, Textile Design, Animation and Visual Effects, Interaction Design, Product and Interface Design, Furniture and Spatial Design, Business Systems and Design and much more. Srishti has a number of centers and labs that offer practice- and research-based environments for students and faculty from a multitude of disciplines. These include (in alphabetical order): BHSI – Bangalore Human Sciences Initiative CEMA – Center for Experimental Media Arts CERTAD – Centre for Education, Research, Training and Development CPH – Centre for Public History GRIDs – Grassroots Innovation Design Studio Kabir Project[5] LEDLAB – Law+Environment+Design Laboratory Srishti Films Srishti Labs DesignEARTH Lab Natural Fibres Lab Pandimonium Lab SUI-Srishti Collaborative Blank Noise Srishti's culture encourages thinking, questioning and experimenting to harness the artistic and intellectual potential of each individual and place the institution at the leading edge of contemporary art and design discourse. A multi-disciplinary approach inculcates self-initiated learning and independent thinking and expands perceptual perspectives. Regular interaction with design studios, production and distribution centers, community projects, retail establishments and industry forms a vital bridge between Srishti and the world.