A Space Between Selves

A Space Between Selves brings together works by three mid-career artists—Cop Shiva, Pattabi Raman, and Sunanda Khajuria—all of whom were Fellows of The Lakshmi Mittal and Family South Asia Institute’s Visiting Artist Fellowship at Harvard University. Cop Shiva’s photographs explore impersonation and masquerade, using photography to examine identity’s fluid boundaries between the ordinary and the performative, the rural and the urban. Pattabi Raman’s lens traces the assertion of identity where myth and reality intersect, revealing transformation as spiritual, existential, as well as exploring identity in the context of erasure. Finally, Sunanda Khajuria’s practice moves across cultures, geographies, and interior states, articulating a visual language that is spiritual, precise, and rooted in journeys of transformation.

The Visiting Artist Fellowship at the Mittal Institute is premised on the idea that artistic practice flourishes through sustained research, cross-cultural dialogue, and engagement with new intellectual environments. This vision aligns with Art Heritage’s longstanding commitment to supporting artists at pivotal moments in their careers and providing a liminal space between experimentation and public engagement. A Space Between Selves stands as both culmination and continuation—a testament to artistic growth nurtured across institutions, geographies, and modes of inquiry.