The Department of Fine Arts, S N School of Arts and Communication, University of Hyderabad, is proud to share that Mr. Awdhesh Tamrakar, faculty member in the department, has received the prestigious PAIR (PRAF Artist-in-Residence) Award for a three-month research residency in Paris, France. The award is offered by the Prameya Art Foundation in collaboration with the French Institute in India, the French Institute in Paris, and the Cité Internationale des Arts.
The PAIR program supports emerging and mid-career artists from India to undertake international research residencies that encourage cross-cultural dialogue and artistic exchange. Mr. Tamrakar’s selection for the 2025 cohort recognizes his ongoing engagement with questions of craft, materiality, and cultural translation within contemporary art practice.
During his stay in Paris, Mr. Tamrakar worked on a research-based project that explored the intersection of traditional metalwork practices and their reinterpretation in global museum contexts. Rooted in his personal lineage of Thathera (coppersmith) artisans, his project examined how materials such as brass, copper, and tin carry with them layered histories of labor, community, and identity. Through this lens, his work reflects on the evolving relationships between craft traditions, colonial legacies, and artistic modernity.
As part of his residency, Mr. Tamrakar visited several important museums and archives in Paris and Italy, including the Musée du Quai Branly, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, and the Louvre. These visits allowed him to study Indo-European objects and metal artefacts that embody centuries of cultural exchange — from colonial trade to aesthetic adaptation. His observations from these collections became an important part of his research, connecting the histories of making with the politics of display and preservation.
Reflecting on his experience, Mr. Tamrakar shared, “The residency offered a unique opportunity to engage with diverse artistic perspectives and to situate my own practice within a wider global conversation. Being in Paris allowed me to reflect deeply on how materials travel, transform, and continue to hold memory, both personal and collective. The exposure to international museums and archives helped me see my practice in dialogue with long and complex histories of art and craft.”
The residency concluded with an open studio presentation at Cité Internationale des Arts, where Mr. Tamrakar showcased his research and the works developed during his time in Paris. His project, which bridges artistic research and material storytelling, contributes to ongoing discussions around the visibility and reinterpretation of traditional crafts in contemporary art spaces.
The Department of Fine Arts congratulates Mr. Tamrakar on this achievement and celebrates his contribution to fostering international engagement and research in the arts. His accomplishment highlights the growing presence of Indian contemporary artists on global platforms and reflects the department’s commitment to supporting innovative, research-driven artistic practices.