Designation: Assistant Professor
Specialization: Sculpture
Contact: 8638706770
Email: rajak.manju2007 [AT] manipuruniv.ac.in
UGC NET, Masters in fine arts (Sculpture) 2012, Bachelor in Fine Arts (Sculpture) 2010, Visva Bharati University, Kala Bhavana.
Area of Interest –
Contemporary Art Practice, Community based Art Projects and Sculpture
Research Areas :
Researched and documentation on migrated communities in Assam in the context of cultural displacement, social position, livelihood, transformation of language, economic sustainability etc. (2013-2014)
Survey on Bengali fisherman communities on the bank of Brahmaputra in Guwahati. Assam(2013)
.Anthropological and cultural study in different communities in Pachim Rajaduwar, North Guwahati, Assam.(2013)
Study and documentation on upbringing and psychological development of children in three different areas of rural, suburban, urban condition in Bolpur, Santiniketan, West Bengal.(2011)
WORK EXPERIENCE:
ART CAMPS, RESIDENCIES AND WORKSHOPS:
Participated in Indian Art Fair. New Delhi, 2017. Supported by Britto Arts Trust, Bangladesh and Shelter Promotion Council India.
Indian Council For Cultural Relation, Guwahati Invited as a resource person to conduct Visual Storytelling Workshop at Guwahati Artist Guild. 2017 July.
Directorate of Museum Assam Invited as a key resource person to conduct educational and Visual Storytelling Workshop funded by Numaligarh Refinery Limited. 2017 June.
Invited Artist at residency programme “derives from the metropolis /Sarsuna” Chanderhaat.” A public art festival in Sarsuna(Kolkata), in collaboration with contemporary artists, filmmakers and performing artists, organised by Chander haat and shelter promotion council (india). 2016.
Invited Artist at “NO MAN'S LAND PROJECT” – collaboration between Indian and Bangladesh artist, organized by Britto Arts Trust, Bangladesh and Shelter Promotion Council India, 2014.
Invited Artist at “The Academy of Electronic Arts” in North East India, collaboration between North East Indian Artist and South Korean Artists. 2014.
Invited Artist at ‘Cultural& Re- imaginations’ in Guwahati, Assam initiated by Indrani Baruah supported by FICA and IFA, 2014.
“games &plays &toys,” workshop by Reinhart Buettner,guest at teacher kala bhavana, 2008
’Censorship & Freedom of Expression’, Workshop organized by Kala Bhavana, 2008
Stone carving workshop with traditional stone carvers in chuner, organized by Dept of Sculpture, Kala Bhabana,
Wood carving workshop with Raimond Watson (German guest artist) in kala bhavana, 2009
Send blasting workshop at kala bhavan, Organized by Dept of Sculpture, 2008
“Art for Integration” One day exchange program with Children of Donyi Polo Mission School for the Hearing and Visually impaired, Organized jointly by Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal, Arunachal Institute of Tribal Studies and Distance Education, Rajiv Gandhi University. 12TH Feb, 2019.
Three films were Shortlisted by The 1st International Indigenous Film Festival of Bhubaneswar, Films are “No Man’s Land,”, “Innocence Hive” and Collaborative workshop at Pearsonpally. Screening on 21st to 23rd February at Puri. 2019.
EXHIBITIONS:
Micro-Subversions Playbook: A group exhibition with young contemporary Indian Artist In Ahmedabad Conflictorium Museum of Conflict 2018.
Kala Bhavana annual exhibition at Academy of fine arts, Kolkata, 2010.
4th Octave exhibition at Goa, Organized by Lalit Kala Academy. 2009.
Kala Bhavana group exhibition at Nandan art gallery, 2008-2009.
5th Northeast State Exhibition, Kalakshetra, Guwahati 2008
ACHIVEMENTS, AWARD, SCHOLARSHIP:
Ministry of culture scholarship in the Field of Sculpture for two years, Government of India, 2010 to 2012
Visva Bharati Merit Stipend, 2007.
Nehru Museum of Science and Technology, Indian institute of technology Kharagpur Invited as a resource person for conducting clay modeling workshop. 2011.
TALK AND SEMINARS:
Directorate of Museums, Assam and India Foundation for the Arts, Bangalore Present An audio visual talk on ‘the idea of community based art in Tribal areas’By Mr Sayantan Maitra Boka, curator along with discussants, Mr Mahbubur Rahman, artist and curator (Bangladesh) and Ms Manju Rajak, artist from Assam.
Assam State Museum, Guwahati. May 28, 2017.
Invited as a featured panelist in Art Education Round Table 2019, Organized by the Art 1st Foundation in collaboration with Pragjyotish Centre for Cultural Research and Department of Archeology, Cotton University on 9th November 2019.
Curatorial Advisor: Amrita Gupta Singh
Panel IV: Art Integration in Teaching and Learning Practices in the Classroom
Jonali Das, Principal, Modern English School, Guwahati
Sisir Thapa, Assistant Professor, Department of Fine Arts, Tripura University, Agartala
Manju Rajak, Guest Assistant Professor, Department of Fine Arts and Music, Rajiv Gandhi University, Itanagar
Moderator: Moushumi Kandali, Assistant Professor, Department of Cultural Studies, Tezpur University, Tezpur
PROGRAME ORGANIZED (PROJECTS, WORKSHOP):
Literature and Visual Storytelling festival with (Malo) Fishing community. A Community Based Art Project in North Guwahati, Ananda Nagar Initiated and Project designed by Manju Rajak. Supported by Directorate of Museum Assam and Amarendra Das, Barpeta Assam. 2017,July.
Coordinator for Molding and Casting workshop, A four day workshop from 26th March to 29th March 2019 at Dept. of Fine Arts and Music, Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh on technical Based learning through playful interactive methods with material understanding, understanding of physical space and Body.
PUBLICATION -
Project Published as a booklet format by the Directorate of Museums, Assam.
Author – Manju Rajak.
PROJECT : Literature and Visual Storytelling festival with (Malo) Fishing community. A Community Based Art Project in North Guwahati, Ananda Nagar Initiated and Project designed by Manju Rajak. Supported by Directorate of Museum Assam and Amarendra Das, Barpeta Assam. 2017,July.
Content :
1. Introduction.
2. Socio Economic Growth and Community Relations.
3. Name of Participants.
4. literature writing by the Villagers.
5. English Translation of Historical Archives.
6. Children Visual Storytelling.
7. Transcription of children Visual Storytelling based on Malo Life.
8. Sculptural Installation Workshop with the youth (in picture).
9. Project Process (in picture).
10. Outcome of the projects (in picture).
11. Presentation and concluding programme (in picture).
ASSESSOR:
Assam Faculty of Fine Art and Craft, Sangeet Surabhi and NGO Pratisruti invited as an assessor for All Assam Art Competition. Held in Guwahati, Kamrup, Assam. 2017
Sadou Assam Moina Parijat invited as an assessor for All Assam Art Competition held in Guwahati. 2017
North Guwahati Town Committee invited as an assessor for Art Competition held in North Guwahati, 71th Independence Day, 2017.
