VAF Program: A Decade of Art, Reflection, and Community

Celebrating 10 Years of the Visual Artist Fellowship

About the VAF and 10 Year Anniversary

For ten years, the Mittal Institute’s Visiting Artist Fellowship (VAF) has brought visionary artists from across South Asia to Harvard University, creating a rare space where artistic practice meets academic inquiry. Since its inception, the program has hosted over two dozen fellows from Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and beyond, each using their eight weeks on campus to research, reflect, and expand the boundaries of their work. As we mark this milestone, we celebrate a decade of creative dialogue, cross-disciplinary learning, and the enduring impact these artists have made within Harvard and throughout the global South Asian arts community.

Featured Artists

Sakshi Gupta

“My time at Harvard became a period of realignment and renewal — a chance to step back and reconsider my ways of thinking and working as an artist, and more specifically, as a sculptor. Nora Schultz’s class played a particularly transformative role. Her approach encouraged me to stretch my understanding of what sculpture could be, moving beyond the idea of giving form and solidity to an abstract thought.”

Profile

Amra Khan

“Among the most defining experiences of the fellowship were the moments of access, exchange, and connection that profoundly deepened my practice…Equally significant was the collaboration with Dr. Satchit Balsari on Hum Sub Eik, an exhibition that brought together art, science, and craft. Contributing to a tapestry created by women artisans across India deepened my appreciation for collective authorship and resilience.”

Profile

Najmun Nahar Keya

“The fellowship served as a vital bridge, enabling me to forge meaningful friendships and connect deeply with a diverse array of artists and their unique practices.”

Profile

Hitesh Vaidya

“Through classes, exhibitions, and panel discussions, I explored how voice, tradition, and storytelling shape identity and cultural continuity.”

Profile

Dhara Mehrotra

“Archives at the Harvard Library and special in-person viewing of ancient manuscripts and artifacts up close at the Harvard Art Museums were also unforgettable highlights of my time at Cambridge. “

Profile

Krupa Makhija

“This fellowship has enabled me to connect personal expression with a more profound understanding of my cultural roots.”

Profile

Manjot Kaur

“The fellowship encouraged me to think expansively about research-driven art and strengthened my commitment to bridging mythology with contemporary ecological concerns. It marked a turning point, giving me the confidence to situate my practice within broader conversations on ecological justice, multispecies kinship, and post humanist imagination.”

Profile

Aamina Nizar

“I was inspired by Prof Allen Sayegh’s course on, Mediums: Making Culture, Art and Technology. Here I was introduced to the writing of Malclom McCullough, Richard Sennet, D. Pye and Paul Virilio, scholars and architects who helped me develope critical understanding of mediums, technology, and architecture.”

Profile

Imran Channa

“Walking across different campuses, engaging with faculty, staff, students, and researchers helped me connect my practice to broader academic conversations.”

Profile

Komal Shahid Khan

“For the first time, I gained significant exposure to the world outside my own country, which allowed me to blend different cultures and perspectives directly into my creative work.The program was unique because of its highly interactive nature. I had the chance to connect and collaborate with a wide range of people, including professional curators, teachers, and students. Engaging with them across various platforms created a rich exchange of ideas that made my practice much more global and well-rounded.”

Profile