Curatorial Intensive South Asia (CISA), in its second year, is a fellowship for young curators from South Asia. The program aims to develop a diversity of perspectives on the medium of the exhibition and to provide both a structured and an experimental inquiry into the possibilities of curatorial practice today. CISA aims to support creative thinking by building an institutional infrastructure for making and exhibiting contemporary art.

Participants included:

Sumitra Sunder is an independent art curator and researcher who has been working in the field for over 10 years. She has curated projects in India, working primarily with archival material. Her curatorial practice engages and problematizes the understanding of queering art practice as well as Queerness as an identity. Her research work has led to a doctoral thesis in curating contemporary art, viewed through the lens of art history and feminist frameworks. She has been the recipient of various fellowships for her research and curatorial work, including one from the National Institute of Advanced Studies that supported her doctoral research, and fellowships from Kochi Biennale Foundation and Khoj International Artists Association for curatorial work. At present, Sumitra’s work is anchored in exploring history and memory through archiving practices as well as creating a framework for the exhibition and production of queered art. She is currently based out of Bangalore, India