Departments:
Arts and Sciences
Fine Arts
a.bawa@wsu.edu
Phone: (360) 546-9415
Office: VMMC 102G
Office Hours: By appointment
Support Staff: Linda Campbell
Avantika Bawa
Associate Professor of Fine Art
Avantika Bawa is an artist, curator and educator based in Portland, OR, and often residences in her hometown, New Delhi, India. Bawa has an MFA in Painting from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a BFA in the same from the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, India.
She has participated in the Skowhegan, MacDowell Colony, Kochi Biennial Foundation and Djerassi residencies among others. Noteworthy solo exhibits include shows at; Schneider Museum, Ashland, OR, Suyama Space, Seattle, WA, The Columbus Museum, GA; Saltworks Gallery and the Atlanta Contemporary Arts Center, Atlanta, GA; Nature Morte and Gallery Maskara in India; Tilt Gallery & Project Space and Disjecta, Portland, OR.
Bawa’s curatorial work began with a hotel room show during the Art in Chicago fair (98’) and has grown through her studio and gallery, aquaspace – a laboratory for new and multi media art. In April 2004 she was part of a team that launched Drain – Journal for Contemporary Art and Culture. www.drainmag.com. In 2014 Avantika was appointed to the board of the Oregon Arts Commission. She is currently Associate Professor of Fine Arts at Washington State University, Vancouver, WA. www.avantikabawa.net
Her work can be viewed at www.avantikabawa.net.
Research Statement
My practice emphasizes the intersections where drawing and sculpture, stasis and motion, and the functional and non-functional intermingle. Geographic and architectural differences in landscape strongly inform my work. I explore the diversity of topographies, the presence or absence of color in local environments, and the range of visual and tactile qualities of locally sourced and fabricated materials.
Bearing in mind a location’s prior use, I create wall drawings and/or paintings, and repurpose and rearrange functional objects to create temporary installations on-site. My approach is influenced by Minimalism and its emphasis on reductive form, modularity, and experimentation with scale. I gather and compose industrial products like brick, plywood, and concrete, simulating common gestures, such as sitting, leaning, pulling, and stacking. These installations invite the viewer to experience the crossroads between the utilitarian, historical, and aesthetic qualities of each space.
In addition to site-based works, I have a sustained drawing practice. Often these are preliminary studies, or a response to my installations, while the majority are stand-alone pieces. These drawings are deliberative yet whimsical, as I work with the pure physicality of line, shape, and color.
Courses
| Course ID | Title | Meeting Time | Location | Semester | Syllabus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FA 110 | Beginning Drawing | M,W 11:10-13:50 | VMMC 107 | Fall | link |
| FA 103 | Visual Concepts 2 | M,W 15:10 – 17:50 | VMMC 107 | Fall | link |
Noteworthy Publications
Drainmag.com
Oregon Arts Watch
Art Papers
60 Inch Center
The Globe and Mail
Sunday Guardian
Art Gallery of Mississauga
Art Slant
Live Mint
A Sky Filled With Shooting Start
Indian Express
Education
- 2008 – Skowhegan School for Painting and Sculpture, Skowhegan, ME
- 1996-98 – Masters of Fine Art – School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- 1991-95 – Bachelor of Fine Art – Maharaja Sayajirao University of Vadodra, Vadodra, India