MMF-PARI Fellowship: Documenting India’s Rural Art & Craft

The Mrinalini Mukherjee Foundation (MMF) was founded in 2015 to honor the vision of the renowned artist Mrinalini Mukherjee, extending the artistic heritage of the Mukherjee family. Her parents, the acclaimed modernist painter Benode Behari Mukherjee and artist educator Leela Mukherjee, also left a profound legacy in the art world. MMF’s mission is to support and promote innovative, creative work across arts and crafts, particularly those representing traditional and contemporary Indian practices. The foundation collaborates with artists, researchers, and organizations to preserve and encourage engagement with India’s cultural and artistic diversity. Through various initiatives, MMF creates platforms that foster new expressions in art while preserving India’s unique cultural heritage, especially in underrepresented rural and craft-based communities.

The MMF-PARI Fellowship 2024-25, offered by the Mrinalini Mukherjee Foundation in partnership with People’s Archive of Rural India (PARI), invites applications for six Junior Fellowships. This fellowship supports the documentation of India’s diverse rural artistry by commissioning each fellow to create four multimedia stories over eight months for PARI’s digital platform. The stories should delve into one or more areas such as traditional arts and crafts, the social and cultural life of artisan communities, contemporary adaptations, or the influence of technology on artisans. Additional areas of focus include public forums for art, unique materials used in rural crafts, collaborations among artisans, and the culinary traditions of rural India. This grant emphasizes creative documentation that captures the depth and richness of rural India’s cultural landscape.