Grant 'Awsar'

Lens - Based – Program and Fund-based Research
Last Date : 15 Jan. 2023
info@iipfoundationindia.org
+91-9015422322
Selection Committee
Registration form
About The अवSAR
The अवSAR provides a fund and mentorship to Lens–based – Research and Lens- based – Storytelling Artists to encourage and support their photographic personality. Awsar especially concentrates on Humanistic Photography through which the young generation from all over the world can enhance their compassionate attitude towards photography. Special consideration will be given to work that promotes social – cultural – environmental – humanity-based Issues. So, this Lens–based – Research program embraces new technologies and image distribution and seeks to integrate the tradition of photography and social change with contemporary practice. The Judges will be looking for a photographer and project that seem most likely to use exemplary and compelling photojournalism and documentary photography (possibly supplemented by or incorporating multi-media) to address an issue of import and impact related to the human condition: social change, humanitarian concern, armed conflict, or other topics of interpersonal, psychological, cultural, social, environmental, scientific, medical and/or political significance, ideally expressing an underlying acknowledgment of our common humanity.
Mission
The Awsar Supports emerging, established, non-established, and overlooked photographers who are searching for an opportunity to make work focused on Indian Tradition. The Awsar preserves a growing collection of significant photographic worlds and strives to make photography engaging and accessible for all. The Awsar is collaborated with IIP Charitable Foundation, USA and is committed to making the Awsar a place for everyone and to reflecting the diversity of Indian Fellowship.
Purpose
Photographs have capabilities of representation, but what they represent warrants close attention. For a naïve observer, a photograph may simply represent Truthfulness and different perspectives of life. So, Photography as a medium is representational and covers a range of concepts. The whole thought process behind, Awsar to give a non-political reason for employing photography in social research vary from the discovery and understanding of contextual social circumstances and structures of people. We do A PHOTOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS, in which our participants use lens-based – communication and using photography as a valid and useful method for collecting data and giving an individual opinion of Life, Aesthetics, and Stories.
Board of Directors
IIP Charitable Foundation, USA is kind enough to grant the project financially this time. The foundation is registered in USA and is working to explore possibilities on cultural exchange, working in women empowerment and other social and cultural issues.
We thank each Board of Directors and would like to mention them here.
- Avinash Kumar
- Akhil Khare
- Shilpi Shrivastava
- Rajesh Goyal

Selection Committee

Ravinder Sharma -

"Man’s faith enables him to see His myriad forms in the light of his love for Him. His prayers in words and visuals, in hues and harmonies, are the soul of this earth. This exhibition embodies my soul-felt love for the Great God of Hindu Trinity, the source of all virtue and vitality. This art is the voice of my heart singing the song of His love and grace."
Ravinder Kumar Sharma weaved the dream of teaching art where people of all ages come together to learn & start their journey into art. A renowned artist & art educationist of India, Ravinder Kumar Sharma has been a mentor to a multitude of art enthusiasts all over the globe. His mission is to educate artists and creative professionals to be responsible contributors to society. Our faculty under him comprises of experienced and versatile professionals from both academia and industry resulting in a rare blend of experience and expertise, indigenity and universality. Our curriculum takes into account the importance of both theory and practice, and thus promotes deep disciplinary knowledge along with sound technical know-how and practical skills.

Argha Kumar Ganguly -

After completing of Bachelor's and Master’s in Fine Art, He joined the National Gallery of Modern Art as a Guide Lecturer and Assistant Curator. For more than 8 years, he primarily focused is in museums, Education, Curated Walks, Workshops, and Storytelling Programs.

Vishwas Shrivastawa -

He is following my creative eye for the past 9 years and counting. - I started my career with travelogues in terms of passion and commercial shoots of properties and fashion for earning. He has been trained and interned in Balaji Telefilms back in 2015. With his growing expertise, he has been allowed to be a mentor and teach photography in prestigious institutions. This marked the initiation of his new journey as a mentor and counselor where he taught and made students learn about art and the equipment to pursue art in a better way. 11 of his photos have been uploaded and selected in the prestigious photo vogue of Vogue Italia as well. He has done multiple exhibitions along with IIP, has been a mentor to students, judged multiple photography competitions and reputed institutes and he also worked with a slum based in Gwalior through my NGO, named Aahvan-Ek Pehal. Presently, He has been working in the capacity of Creative Director in buymyJewel, an online B2B real jewelry E-commerce platform.

Dr. Jerrentrup Maja -

The Fund’s Board of Trustees impanels four members to Selection Committee. The jury meets twice. In the first session, the Jury reviews the required materials: applications, proposals, and photographs. They select five finalists based on the substantive and intellectual merits of their projects. Finalists will be allowed over a short time to refine their proposals and to answer specific questions from the Jury about their project. In the second session, the jury will review all new material and choose the Awsar Grant recipient.

Selection Process

  1. Fill the Registration form, and Please send A Written Summary of approximately 600 words about your work at mention below email id. Better, to start with your proposal by clearly stating what is Project About? Why do you want to do it? Then, explain why that is important, how you will continue to work on the project, and what outcomes you hope to achieve from the work. (awsar@iipfoundationindia.org)
  2. Send to jury for Approval
  3. Selected Photography Researcher, creates a Research Steps of their Project and Submit it in their Word File including Submit a body of work in 7 to 15 images (awsar@iipfoundationindia.org). Each File must be titled with the photographer’s last name, first name, and a sequential image number. For example – sharma_rohit_01.jpg, Please make sure each photograph is not more than 2000 kb in the size. Editing such as Toning of the image, Saturation, Contrast, Cropping, Vignetting, Dynamic Range, Exposure, Dadaism, Collage, Music or Video inclination in the image, etc.can be reasonable limits depending on the project
  4. Selection Committee is majorly responsible to select the body of work and the artists, who are going to get an opportunity. After the announcement of 3 artist out of coming applicants, they will go for the screening round, which will be conduct by jury members.
  5. After an Interview Session, in the next 30 days, Mentorship and funding will be provided by अवसर to the selected artist.
  6. Project timing divides into the six phases: -
    • Research, Drafting, Pilot Study/Practical and Aesthetical Preparation
    • Mentorship
    • Shoot/Data Collection, Mentorship
    • Critical Criticism with Mentorship
    • Submission and Presentation
    • All Projects need to submit One Photo Book under the umbrella of AWSAR, Digital Submission and Exhibition