The Master of Fine Arts in Criticism & Curatorial Practice program offers graduate students an exceptional opportunity to explore and experiment with contemporary art, media and design through engagement with history, theory and criticism within curatorial practice.

Curatorial practice entails the selection and representation of cultural objects, ideas, and artifacts by organising and promoting art projects and exhibitions. At its core, this practice is rooted in the understanding and inculcation of values associated with social and cultural history, and a sensitivity to multiple forms of spectatorship. At Srishti Manipal we consider the curatorial practice to be not only about the exhibition, selection, and display but an endeavor towards reflecting cultural practices that address contemporary social concerns. The MA in Curatorial Practice is founded on the premise that there is no separation between practice and theory in curatorial work. Curators operate across a vast ecology of contexts and spaces - from the museum to the commercial gallery, to the artist-led space, to the festival, to the lab, to new creative ventures and academic projects. The role of the curator often blends in with that of the researcher, the artist, the publisher, the activist, the archivist, and the creative entrepreneur. The program foregrounds an inquiry-based approach to learning, where students can explore and develop personal discourse, artistic visions, and ideas through their chosen lines of inquiry, navigating through frames of thought nurtured at Srishti Manipal. The students of the MA in Curatorial Practice will acquire the criticality, skills, and flexibility to work in the ever-changing context of the contemporary art world and cultural production. They will develop an awareness and understanding of international and national socio-cultural and political discourses in the field.