Visions in the Making

TAKE on Art was the print media partner to the ‘Visions in the Making’, an alt-modern art project that seeks to create a space of mutual inquiry, transformation and translation between cultures. It is a month-long exhibition, curated by Myna Mukherjee and Davide Quadrio, featuring six women artists from Italy and South Asia – Amina Ahmed, Natascia Fenoglio, Stefania Galegati Shines, Marta Roberti, Shilo Shiv Suleman and Gopa Trivedi – whose works not only provide a framework for an emerging modernity, but also defy standardisation and commercialisation. The exhibition was held at The Italian Culture Centre, Nyaya Marg, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi.  An open platform of the exhibition was part of the India Art Fair 2020.

Art Scribes Award 2019-20

The winner for Art Scribes Award 2019-20 is Zeenat Nagree.

Jury: Anita Dube (Artist and Curator), Bhavna Kakar (Editor and Publisher, TAKE on Art and Founder and Director, Gallery Latitude 28), Hemant Sareen (Writer and Editor), Helene Guenin (Director, Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art, Nice), Nancy Adajania (Culture Theorist and Independent Curator).

Designed as an annual art writer’s award, an eminent, rotating jury consisting of art critics and curators is assigned the task of choosing an applicant who has demonstrated sustained commitment to research, conceptual frameworks and art history in their writing practice, as the recipient of the award. Applications are received via open call as opposed to nominations to ensure equal opportunity.

The chosen writer is awarded an international curatorial residency in partnership with the various collaborators around the world in order to help them demonstrate their critical acumen in curatorial research. This is part of PRAF’s emphasis on encouraging research, criticality and innovation within curatorial narratives especially among young/emerging curators.

The recipient of this edition was awarded a one month, all expense covered residency at Chateau La Napoule, the residency space of the La Napoule Art Foundation. This will ultimately realize in an exhibition in New Delhi.

Art Scribes Award 2018-19

The winner for Art Scribes Award 2018-19 is Shaunak Mahbubani.

Jury: Helene Guenin (Director, Museum of Modern Art and Contemporary Art), Girish Shahane (Critic and Curator), Nancy Adajania (Cultural Theorist and Curator), Shuddhabrata Sengupta (Artist and writer and member of Raqs Media Collective), Bhavna Kakar (Editor and Publisher, TAKE on Art and Founder and Director, Gallery Latitude 28)

Designed as an annual art writer’s award, an eminent, rotating jury consisting of art critics and curators is assigned the task of choosing an applicant who has demonstrated sustained commitment to research, conceptual frameworks and art history in their writing practice, as the recipient of the award. Applications are received via open call as opposed to nominations to ensure equal opportunity.

The chosen writer is awarded an international curatorial residency in partnership with the various collaborators around the world in order to help them demonstrate their critical acumen in curatorial research. This is part of PRAF’s emphasis on encouraging research, criticality and innovation within curatorial narratives especially among young/emerging curators.

The recipient of this edition was awarded a one month, all expense covered residency at Chateau La Napoule, the residency space of the La Napoule Art Foundation. This will ultimately realize in an exhibition in New Delhi.

Art Scribes Award 2017-18

The winner for Art Scribes Award 2017-18 is Premjish Achari.

Jury: Baiju Parthan (Artist and Writer), Girish Shahane (Critic and Curator), Nancy Adajania (Cultural Theorist and Curator), Bhavna Kakar (Editor and Publisher, TAKE on Art and Founder and Director, Gallery Latitude 28), Kunal Ray (Professor, Literary and Cultural Studies, Flame University, Pune)

Designed as an annual art writer’s award, an eminent, rotating jury consisting of art critics and curators is assigned the task of choosing an applicant who has demonstrated sustained commitment to research, conceptual frameworks and art history in their writing practice, as the recipient of the award. Applications are received via open call as opposed to nominations to ensure equal opportunity.

The chosen writer is awarded an international curatorial residency in partnership with the various collaborators around the world in order to help them demonstrate their critical acumen in curatorial research. This is part of PRAF’s emphasis on encouraging research, criticality and innovation within curatorial narratives especially among young/emerging curators.

The recipient of this edition was awarded a one month, all expense covered residency at Chateau La Napoule, the residency space of the La Napoule Art Foundation. This will ultimately realize in an exhibition in New Delhi.

In Silence the Secret Speak: Performance by Seema Kohli

The Royal Opera House collaborates with Seema Kohli for a site-specific immersive experience engaging with the artists’ interior landscape, exploring her intimate relationship with contemporary philosophy, myths, and oral traditions. This narrative performance has evolved from a painting by Kohli, which organically transcended into verbal form through poetry. At the core of the performance is the symbolism of constant creation and evolution, bringing together influences of ancient and modern Indian traditions and the artist’s own spiritual quest in the expressions of her art. Supporting the artists’ narrative, acclaimed practitioners from various disciplines bring together a poetry/spoken word performance, woven intimately with movement and music. Sahil Vasudeva is a classically trained pianist based in New Delhi. Nawa Lanzilotti is a Hawaiian-American cellist and composer who studied western classical cello with Alan Harris at Eastman School of Music, NY. Lokesh is a Bharatnatyam dancer and recipient of the prestigious Charles Wallace scholarship. Shruti Vishwanath is a musician and composer – trained extensively in Carnatic music exploring the intersections of classical and folk.

Art Scribes Award 2016-17

The winner for Art Scribes Award 2016-17 is Adwait Singh.

Jury: Baiju Parthan (Artist and Writer), Anshuman Dasgupta (Art Historian and Curator), Nancy Adajania (Cultural Theorist and Curator), Bhavna Kakar (Editor and Publisher, TAKE on Art and Founder and Director, Gallery Latitude 28), Bharati Chaturvedi (Environmentalist and Writer)

Designed as an annual art writer’s award, an eminent, rotating jury consisting of art critics and curators is assigned the task of choosing an applicant who has demonstrated sustained commitment to research, conceptual frameworks and art history in their writing practice, as the recipient of the award. Applications are received via open call as opposed to nominations to ensure equal opportunity.

The chosen writer is awarded an international curatorial residency in partnership with the various collaborators around the world in order to help them demonstrate their critical acumen in curatorial research. This is part of PRAF’s emphasis on encouraging research, criticality and innovation within curatorial narratives especially among young/ emerging curators.

The recipient of this edition was awarded a one month, all expense covered residency at Chateau La Napoule, the residency space of the La Napoule Art Foundation. This will ultimately realize in an exhibition in New Delhi.

Asia Assemble

Asia Assemble is a three-day gathering of artists, practitioners, academics and arts institutions from around Asia in New Delhi organized by Khoj International Artists’ Association. Structured as a series of moderated conversations, discussions, screenings and public presentations, Asia Assemble seeks to understand the possibilities, modalities and urgencies of arts and cultural work around Asia in 2017.

Art Scribes Award 2014-15

The winner for Art Scribes Award 2014-15 is Anushka Rajendran.

Jury: Bhavna Kakar (Editor and Publisher, TAKE on Art and Founder and Director, Gallery Latitude 28), Diana Campbell (Curator and Artistic Director, Dhaka Art Summit), Kalidas Swaminathan (Musicologist and Director, J. Swaminathan Foundation), Pushpamala N. (Artist), Sadanand Menon (Art Writer and Educationist), Suresh Jayaram (Curator and Educationist and Founder of 1Shanthiroad, Bangalore).

Designed as an annual art writer’s award, an eminent, rotating jury consisting of art critics and curators is assigned the task of choosing an applicant who has demonstrated sustained commitment to research, conceptual frameworks and art history in their writing practice, as the recipient of the award. Applications are received via open call as opposed to nominations to ensure equal opportunity.

The chosen writer is awarded an international curatorial residency in partnership with the various collaborators around the world in order to help them demonstrate their critical acumen in curatorial research. This is part of PRAF’s emphasis on encouraging research, criticality and innovation within curatorial narratives especially among young/ emerging curators.

The recipient of this edition was awarded a one month, all expense covered residency at Theertha International Artist’s Collective. This will ultimately realize in an exhibition in New Delhi.

Book Launch: A Triangular Encounter—Nemai Ghosh, Benode Behari Mukherjee, Satyajit Ray

In collaboration with 1×1 Gallery, TAKE on art hosted the launch of the limited edition publicationA Triangular Encounter: Nemai Ghosh, Benode Behari Mukherjee, Satyajit Ray. During the event which took place in the Yes Bank Lounge at the India Art Fair, a presentation was given by Professor Partha Mitter who wrote the publications introductory essay.

Art Scribes Award 2012

The winner for Art Scribes Award 2012 is Paroma Maiti.

Jury: Sadanand Menon (Art Writer and Educationist), R. Siva Kumar (Art Historian), Ranjit Hoskote (Cultural Theorist, Writer and Curator), Baiju Parthan (Artist and Writer), Bhavna Kakar (Editor and Publisher, TAKE on Art and Founder and Director, Gallery Latitude 28)

Designed as an annual art writer’s award, an eminent, rotating jury consisting of art critics and curators is assigned the task of choosing an applicant who has demonstrated sustained commitment to research, conceptual frameworks and art history in their writing practice, as the recipient of the award. Applications are received via open call as opposed to nominations to ensure equal opportunity.

The chosen writer is awarded an international curatorial residency in partnership with the various collaborators around the world in order to help them demonstrate their critical acumen in curatorial research. This is part of Shrine Empire’s emphasis on encouraging research, criticality and innovation within curatorial narratives especially among young/emerging curators.

The recipient of this edition was awarded a one month, all expense covered residency at Red Gate Residency, Beijing. This will ultimately realize in an exhibition in New Delhi.

TAKE Talks: Dialogue on Curating Part 2

In collaboration with ProHelvetia Swiss Arts Council and the Foundation for Indian Contemporary Arts (FICA), TAKE on Art presented the two-day seminar ‘Dialogue on Curating Part 2’. Discussing the crucial role of curating within the Indian art scene, the seminar afforded curators the space to evaluate their spheres of operation and influence, the development of public discourse in contemporary art and the consequences these have art historically.

TAKE on Writing Workshop: Art Writing in the Era of Mass Dissemination

In collaboration with the Foundation for Indian Contemporary Arts (FICA), TAKE on Art organised the three day intensive workshop ‘Art Writing in the Era of Mass Dissemination’, which was conducted by Keith Wallace, editor-in-chief of Yishu: Journal of Contemporary Chinese Art.

Participation in the workshop was by application and limited to ten emerging writers. During the workshop participants discussed different kinds of art writing, target audiences, writing styles, working with an editor, and the internet as a form of research and dissemination.

TAKE Talks: Dialogues on Curating Part 1

In collaboration with the Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art (FICA) and Natasha Ginwala, TAKE on Art organised a one-day seminar discussing the crucial role of curating within the Indian art scene.