Faculty

Shaurya Kumar

Shaurya Kumar is a native of Delhi where he studied painting and printmaking at the College of Art. He’s an artist, a teacher, and a researcher. As a researcher, Shaurya has been involved in numerous prestigious projects, such as “The Paintings of India” (a series of 26 documentary films on the painting tradition of India); “Handmade in India” (an encyclopedia on the handicraft traditions of India); and digital restorations of 6th century Buddhist mural paintings from the caves of Ajanta. Shaurya’s work has been exhibited around the world, including recent solo exhibition in India, Taiwan and Argentina. He is represented by Lakeeren gallery in Mumbai and has installed one person exhibitions there as well as the Dr. Bhau Daji Lad museum. He was included in a major exhibition at Gallery Odyssey in Mumbai alongside artists like Atul and Anju Dodiya, and Jitish Kallat. His new series of drawings were recently installed at Kriti gallery in Varanasi and during the India Art Fair with Raza Foundation. He’s also exhibited at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago and held a large solo exhibition at Northern Illinois University Art Museum.

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Claire Ashley

Claire Ashley’s work investigates inflatables as painting, sculpture, installation and performance costume. These works have been exhibited nationally and internationally in galleries, museums, and site-specific installations, performances, festivals, and collaborations. Claire received her MFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and her BFA from Gray’s School of Art (Aberdeen, Scotland). Originally from Edinburgh, Scotland, Ashley is now Chicago based, and she teaches in the Department of Contemporary Practices, and the Department of Painting and Drawing at SAIC. Her work has been featured online in VICE, Hyperallergic, and Artforum, and in magazines such as Sculpture Magazine, Art Papers, Boston Globe, Chicago Tribune, Time Out Chicago, Yorkshire Post, and Condé Nast Traveller (European).

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Teaching Assistants

  • Al-Qawi Tazal Nanavati, an SAIC alum from 2017, lives in Mumbai, and attended Jamnabai Narsee School.
  • Viraj Mithani, an SAIC alum from 2015, also lives in Mumbai, and attended St. Gregorios.