The Mittal Institute welcomed two new VAF Artists, Bunu Dhungana and Pragati Jain, to campus this week, for the start of their eight-week research fellowship at Harvard. The program connects artists from South Asia with Harvard’s intellectual resources, and allows a platform for mid-career artists to conduct independent research that explores critical issues in South Asia through the lens of art and design.
Below, Bunu and Pragati share selections of their artwork, and each showcase images they took at Harvard to represent their first week on campus. Join the Mittal Institute on November 8 as Bunu and Pragati share their work in our Visiting Artist Fellows Art Exhibition (Virtual).
About the VAF Artists
Bunu Dhungana
Bunu Dhungana uses photography as a medium to explore and question the world around her. While her personal projects center around gender, she has worked in a wide range of forms – from visual ethnography, NGO/INGO work to commercial and journalistic work. Bunu believes that visual stories can reach out to people, engage them, and start conversations. She is currently working with photo.circle and Nepal Picture Library. She holds a Masters’s degree in Sociology from Jawaharlal Nehru University, India. A selection of her work is below.
CP Bunu_Confrontations_2
Bunu_Confrontations_4
Bunu_Confrontations_3
Bunu_Confronations_1
Pragati Jain
Pragati Jain‘s work draws attention to prevailing conflicts in civilized societies, where each one of us has similar aspirations, struggle and persistent ideas of practicing equality. In an atmosphere of shared fear, confusion and hope, she creates art about the alikeness that binds us. A selection of her work is below.
1 Navneet
2
3
4
4A-Myself lying on the footpath_Performance_ Parallel world
4B-Myself lying on the footpath_Performance_ Parallel world
4C-Myself lying on the footpath_Performance_ Parallel world
4D-Myself lying on the footpath_Performance_ Parallel world
5 Pardah_Installation with Biodegradable plastic sheets_2020
6 Pardah_ Installation with Biodegradable plastic sheets_2020
7 Under the dust_Performance_2020
8 Holy Chlorine_Performance_2020
CP 2 Safdiya
Harvard, Through Their Eyes
VAF_Bunu_01
We went to the Harvard Art Museum yesterday and to be able to see masterpieces in person was a great experience. I was starstruck! I stood in front of Rothko’s The Black and White and couldn’t move with all sorts of emotions. But as I was feeling this I kept asking myself why have I not felt this kind of emotions looking at women artists works. Why wasn’t I starstruck looking at O’Keeffe? I am beginning my fellowship with this question. BY BUNU DHUNGANA
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We share the same sun! BY PRAGATI JAIN
VAF_Bunu_02
As I walked around the Harvard campus, I couldn’t help but notice how beautiful the light is around this time. I was trying to look for little details. Also, I have been photographing red for a few years now. BY BUNU DHUNGANA
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The need of the time. BY PRAGATI JAIN
VAF_Bunu_03
I can’t believe that I am here; it’s overwhelming and exciting at the same time. BY BUNU DHUNGANA
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Standing at the threshold. BY PRAGATI JAIN