Emerging Artist Award 2016 | Renuka Rajiv
The Foundation for Indian Contemporary Art is delighted to announce that the FICA Emerging Artist Award 2016 is being granted to Renuka Rajiv. Renuka Rajiv was chosen by a jury that consisted of Santhosh S, Assistant Professor, School of Culture and Creative Expressions, Ambedkar University Delhi; Sonia Khurana, Artist; Sumedh Rajendran, Artist; Chandrika Grover Ralleigh, Director, Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council, New Delhi; and Vidya Shivadas, Director, FICA.
FICA received around 200 applications from students and young artists across India. The jury made special mention of high quality of applications that came in for their perusal. In the end they singled out Renuka Rajiv as the recipient of Emerging Artist Award 2016. They were appreciative of the versatility and experimentation visible in Renuka’s practice. Jury members saw the way Renuka has had a constant engagement with different materials in making sculptures, textile works, paintings, drawings, zines, installations, and artist books. They noted an exploratory method where 'spontaneity, immediacy and imperfection' act as catalysts for their work. Observing the conceptual rigour and the innovative aesthetic provocations in their work, they were impressed to see the way Renuka has been handling the different thematic concerns. Stemming from their own personal life, they comment and chronicle themes such as sexuality, physicality, notions of family, relationships, portraits of people, events. The jury saw potential in Renuka’s work and hopes that they will benefit from this award to further their artistic practice.
As the recipient of the FICA Emerging Artist Award 2016 Renuka will be traveling to Switzerland, for a ninety day studio-residency in 2017. Upon their return they will start work on their solo show which is scheduled for August 2018 at Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi. The residency has been made possible with the support of Pro Helvetia - Swiss Arts Council, New Delhi. We wish her the best in making the most of the EAA platform and look forward to keeping you posted on the developments in her practice.
Renuka Rajiv is an artist based in Bangalore. They did a diploma in Digital Video Production from Srishti School of Design, Bangalore, India(2007). They did a Bachelor of Fine Art, Printmaking from VCA, Melbourne (2010). They have participated in several group shows - The Brunswick Show, CBD, Melbourne (2010); EggEggEgg, White Elephant Artist Space, Brunswick, Melbourne (2010); Shoes 2, White Cube, Brisbane (2011); They’re A Queer Mob, Blak Dot Gallery, Melbourne (part of Midsumma festival) (2011); Launch, Brunswick Arts, Brunswick, Melbourne; Future Now, Substation, Newport, Melbourne (2011); Nature In The Dark, Fed Square, Melbourne (2011); Future Now, ICU, Castlemaine (2011); Energy In Stillness, Midsumma festival, Red Gallery, Melbourne (2013); Future Now: Traveling exhibition, (Cowwarr Artspace, Gippsland and B1 Contemporary, Ballarat) (2013); Unlikely Part 1 – Feral, Bella Union, Melbourne (2013); Bright Sparks, Firestation, Melbourne (2014); I Got You Under My Skin, Blak Dot Gallery, Melbourne (2014); Aspergers Vs. Parkinsons, Knight st Artspace, Melbourne (2014); Howl, Brunswick Artspace, Melbourne (2014); stutter in your eloquence, Backyard Civilization, Kochi (2014); Conspirators, Czech & Slovak Film Festival, Yarra Gallery, Melbourne (2014); Airdrome, The Hive, Bombay (2015); stutter in your eloquence II, Ambedkar University, Delhi (2015); Privacy to Piracy, Walkin Studios, Bangalore (2015); Group Therapy, Brunswick Artspace, Melbourne (2015); Exit, Brunswick Artspace, Melbourne (2015) andAt the turn of a Page, Vadehra Gallery, Delhi (2016).
Thier solos include - Life As a Solo, Handheld Gallery, Melbourne (2013); Wild Fermentation, Brunswick Artspace, Melbourne (2013); Static/Problematic, G159, Bangalore (2015). Renuka was artist in residence at CONA, Mumbai funded by INLAKS Shivadasani Foundation (2014), TAJ Residency/SKE Projects, Bangalore,(2015) and Walkin Studios, Bangalore (2015). Their publications include Silicon Plateau #01, a collaborative publishing project between T.A.J. Residency/SKE Projects + or-bits.com in 2015. They have received the City of Stonington Print Prize in 2010; the NGV Women’s Association Prize in 2010 and the Substation travelling exhibition prize in 2011.
