Umrao Singh Sher-Gil Grant for Photography 2016

Instituted by the Sher-Gil Sundaram Arts Foundation

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS

The application form can be downloaded from www.ssaf.in

Deadline for submissions: 30 November, 2015

JURY 2016
Urs Stahel (Jury Chair)

Jeroo Mulla

Devika Daulet-Singh

The Jury Chair is supported by Pro Helvetia – SWISS ARTS COUNCIL

UMRAO SINGH SHER-GIL GRANT FOR PHOTOGRAPHY

Recognizing the need to enable Indian photographers to produce and share their work in their lifetime, the Sher-Gil Sundaram Arts Foundation has pledged an annual photography grant of INR 5,00,000 in Umrao Singh Sher-Gil’s name to encourage independent voices in photography.

Umrao Singh Sher-Gil’s (1870-1954) relationship with photography in his lifetime was a private affair — his principal subjects being his family and himself. He tended to be overshadowed by the emblematic presence of his daughter and artist, Amrita Sher-Gil (1913-1941). It was in 2007 that Umrao Singh was recognised as a photographer of considerable importance. His self-portraits span almost sixty years and make up a unique archive. He is now regarded as a pioneering figure of the mise-en-scène or staged photography in India.

Established in 2015, the Umrao Singh Sher-Gil Grant for Photography will recognise a photographer’s commitment to the ‘staged’ or ‘constructed’ image. Documentary photography projects using the idiom of the staged or constructed image will also be considered.

There is a distinction, albeit a fine one, between the ‘staged’ and the ‘constructed’ image. Regardless, both genres reflect on the transformative nature of the photograph in their relationship to reality.

The grant is intended to assist photographers who have started a project and need financial help to complete their work.

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

• The grant is for photographers who are Indian nationals and residing in India.
• There is no age limit for applicants to the grant.
• The grant is for individual photographers; collaborative or group applications will not be considered.
• The grant is for a photographer already working on a project. Therefore, the application must include photographic prints from the proposed project to complete which a grant is needed.
  See Application Process.
• Applicants to the grant must not hold any other fellowship/grant for the proposed work.
• There is no limit to the number of times applicants may apply for the grant.
• The applicant has to agree to finish his/her project within 18 months of receiving the grant.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Application Form

Application forms can be downloaded from here. There is no application fee.If you need any clarification or information about the Application Process, please email usg@ssaf.in.

Please use block/capital letters to fill in the application form and do not forget to sign the document. The filled in application form should be accompanied by the following:

Written Proposal

The written proposal detailing the photography project should be concise, not exceeding 500 words. It must clearly articulate the intentions of the photographer and should be realizable. It should outline the stage the project has reached and what is left to achieve. Clarity of thought about the project will be evaluated during the jury process.

Photographic Prints with Captions/Titles

Applicants must demonstrate evidence of their photographic ability by submitting 10 to 15 photographic prints, no larger than 8 x 12 inches each. Digital submissions/scanned images will not be considered. Applicants must submit a separate document that contains the following information about each image: caption/title, location, date.

About the Applicant

The applicant must submit a document, not exceeding 750 words, with his/her CV including details of past exhibitions, publications, grants/awards received.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION OF APPLICATION

Photographic Prints

The photographic prints must be labelled using a sticker on the reverse. The labels must carry the following information:

Name of applicant; Working Title of Project; Caption/Title of Photographic Print; Location; Date

Example:

Name of applicant: Vivan Sundaram

Working Title of Project: Trash

Caption/Title of Photographic Print: Masterplan

Location: Haridwar

Date: 2007

Serial number/Order of sequence: 01

Documents

All written documents must be submitted in typed form (not handwritten) on A-4 sheets of paper.

Please send the application form and all submissions to:

Sher-Gil Sundaram Arts Foundation
c/o Vivan Sundaram
3/9 Shanti Niketan (ground floor)
New Delhi 110 021

No material will be returned unless specifically requested by the applicant, and sent accompanied by a self-addressed envelope with return postage.

SSAF is not responsible for loss of or damage to any submitted material.

The deadline for receipt of the completed application form and all submissions for the first Umrao Singh Sher-Gil Grant for Photography is 30 November 2015.

JURY

Process

SSAF will independently administer the grant and jury process.

SSAF will appoint a three-member jury every year, which will include an international member of the photography fraternity.

The jury process will last three days. During the first two days, the jury will review all the applications and proposals, and shortlist 3 finalists – primarily on the basis of the substantive and intellectual merit of their project proposals. On the third day, the jury will review the 3 finalists and select the grant recipient, after weighing both the merit and needs of the project.

The grantee’s name will be announced on 9 December 2015, at a small reception organized by the SSAF. The announcement will be shared via email and posted on the SSAF website.

The Jury Chair was supported by Pro Helvetia – SWISS ARTS COUNCIL