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Shefalee Jain

e mail: shefaleenj@gmail.com

 

 

Shefalee Jain is an artist, illustrator and educator based in Delhi, India. She taught Visual Art as Assistant Professor at the School of Culture and Creative Expressions (SCCE), Ambedkar University Delhi (AUD) for ten years from 2012-2022. She completed her Practice based PhD in Visual Art from SCCE, AUD in 2021. The tittle of her thesis is ' Phantasmagoria of Normalcy: Art Practice as an exploration into the Modern Visual Imagery of Self-sufficiency and Ability.'

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Her research interests lie in the area of visual culture, particularly in the study of the processes of othering and pathologization of bodies as well as the continuous re iteration and construction of the ‘normal body’ within various contexts such as modern medicine, advertisement, education and language. She is interested in examining the ways in which this has determined and continues to determine our ways of perceiving disability and disease. As an artist, her practice explores this area through her work that addresses these issues and as a pedagogue, this enquiry informs the courses she offers.

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Her first solo exhibition titled Painting Dis-ease was held at The Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S.U., Baroda, India in Feb. 2012 and her second one Landscape and Fall was held at the Ambedkar University Delhi in Feb 2018. she has been part of several group shows some of which are Video Wednesdays at Gallery Espace, Delhi, Extending the Line at Vadehra Art Gallery, Delhi and C 13: An exhibition, a proposition, a playground, a house at FICA, Delhi. She was in New York as an Apexart fellow for the month of June 2015. The fellowship program is focused on cultural exchange and new experiences providing an intense explorative journey.

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Shefalee is the co-founder of BlueJackal, a platform for engaging with and creating visual narratives, comics, picture books and initiating dialogue and learning within these contexts through interactive programs. . She has founded and co-edited the zine Drawing Resistance in collaboration with Vidyun Sabhaney, Lokesh Khodke and Shivangi Singh. She has been a contributor to Chakmak, a children’s magazine and Sandarbh, a magazine for educators published by Eklavya Publications, Bhopal, India. She has jointly illustrated (with Lokesh Khodke) Mother, a poem by Kancha Illiah, as part of a project, Different Tales: Stories from Marginal Cultures and Regional Languages (conducted by Anveshi Research Centre for Women’s Studies, Hyderabad, India). The book is published as part of a series, by DC books and Mango, Kottayam ,Kerela, India 2008. She is also the author and illustrator of a children’s book Ten, published by Tulika Publishers, India and has made illustrations for the first eight books in the series titled Adventures of Aditi and her Friends by Suniti Namjoshi, published by Tulika Publishers, 

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SOLO EXHIBITIONS/INSTALLATIONS

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  • Landscape and Fall, an installation at Ambedkar University Delhi, Feb. 2018. This installation was one of the outcomes of my Practice based PhD in Visual Art, completed in 2021 from the School of Culture and Creative Expressions, Ambedkar University Delhi.

  • Painting Dis-ease, at the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S.U. Vadodara, Feb. 2012.

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GROUP EXHIBITIONS:

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  • Sheher, Prakriti, Devi, a group show curated by Gauri Gill at the Ishara Art Foundation, Dubai, 19 January 2024 - 01 June 2024.

  • Bare Acts, a group show curated by Arushi Vats, supported by Prameya Art Foundation and shown at The Shrine Empire Gallery, 1st Dec. 2023 to 13th Jan. 2024.

  • Mycelial Legacies, Bikaner House, 30 women artists with past and present affiliations to the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University, curated by Deeksha Nath, Feb. 2023.

  • The Strangest Sights of Man-2 at C13: An exhibition | A Proposition| A Playground | A House. FICA, New Delhi, April-May 2017. 

  • Video Wednesdays II ,Gallery Espace, New Delhi,Sept. 2012

  • Extending the Line, a group show at the Vadehra Art Gallery, New Delhi, June-July 2012.

  • Portfolio show, Priyashri art gallery- studio, Baroda, may 2012.

  • Experimenta-Body as portrait, a show curated by Komal Pandey juxtaposing works of Bhupen Khakkhar and Shefalee Jain, at The faculty of Fine Arts exhibition hall, Baroda,April 2012.

  • The Big Baroda Show, Priyashri Art Gallery, Faculty of fine arts,Baroda, India.Nov. 2011

  • To Japan. From Baroda, a group show, Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda, India. July 2011

  • A group show, kottayam public library art gallery, kerela, jan. 2011

  • Fly Vadodara Fly, a group show at Red Earth Gallery, Vadodara, India. Jan. 2011

  • Boxes and bookends, a group show, Strand Art Room, Bombay,Delhi, India . November 2010, Jan. 2011.

  • Cutting Chai, a group show, Sarjan Art Gallery, Baroda, India. Oct. 2009.

  • Portraiture, a group show, Artflute in collaboration with Max Mueller Bhavan, Bangalore, India. June 2009.

  • Foundering Edges, a show of two artists, Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S.U. Baroda, India. April 2009.

  • Multitudes, a group show, Zen Art Studio, Durbar Hall, Cochin, India. March 2009

  • Discursive Palette, a group show, Faculty of Fine Arts, Baroda, India. Jan. 2009

  • After Images, a group show, Faculty of Fine Arts,Baroda, India.Sept. 2007

  • Bodhi Art Award show, Bodhi Art Gallery, Bombay, India. June 2007

  • A group show, Tangerine Art Space, CKP , Bangalore, India. 2007

  • Parivritti, a group show, Kalahita Arts Foundation, Hyderabad, India. September 2006

  • Con-Figure, a group show, Hues Art Gallery, Chennai, India. June 2006.

  • Sprouts, a group show, Kaleidoscope Art Gallery, Baroda, India. Feb. 2006

 

AWARDS, CAMPS. RESIDENCIES, FELLOWSHIPS :​
 

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PUBLICATIONS, ILLUSTRATIONS and WORKSHOPS:

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  • Conducted a workshop on silhouette animation with Maheen Mirza for the students from DNT communities at Mitti ka Ghar, Muskaan, Bhopal, October 2023.

  • Illustrations for ‘Dohri Zindagi’, published by BlueJackal, October 2022.

  • Conducted a workshop in visual storytelling with Madhuri Adwani, for Zubaan project, No Space For Work, September 2022.

  • Illustrations for ‘Naram Garam Dosti’, written by Neetu Yadav, published by Muskaan Publications, Bhopal, 2022.

  • Illustrations for a research project titled 'Where We Belong' conducted by Women against State repression and Sexual violence. The WSS team visited nine districts in Assam to record testimonies of women and the ways in which the NRC process had affected the lives of their families and communities. The illustrations were published on the project website July 2022.

  • School Mein Seekha Aur Sikhaya, illustrations by Shefalee Jain, story by Nikita Dhurve, published by Muskaan, Bhopal, 2022.

  • Conducted an onsite workshop 'Visualising Care' for educators from CEHRO India in May 2022. The workshop was invited by KNMA, Delhi.

  • Conducted an online workshop alongside Kshiraja Krishnan, titled 'Graphic Fiction', for young researchers at Zubaan working on NSW (No Space for Women) project in Feb 2022.

  • Started writing a regular column on art ‘Kala Ke Aayaam’. for young adults in Chakmak, a magazine published by Eklavya, Bhopal. Jan 2022-ongoing.

  • Conducted an onsite workshop alongside Lokesh Khodke, titled 'Listening and Making' for researchers and social workers at Nirantar Trust, The Third Eye, Delhi. November 2021.

  • Conducted an online workshop 'Satire in Visual Storytelling'. in October 2021 for Jehangir Nicholson Art Foundation.

  • Wrote an article on Art for the Scholastic Yearbook, published in October 2021.

  • Conducted an online workshop for art educators, organised by ABC(Art By Children) Programme of the Kochi Biennale Foundation, 15 – 20 April 2021

  • Illustrations for Fiery Tales of Courage and Resilience, published by WSS (Women against Sexual violence and State repression, April 2021.

  • Co-edited and published (online) Drawing Resistance Issue 2 : Lockdown with Lokesh Khodke, Vidyun Sabhaney and Shivangi Singh, August 2020

  • Illustrations for Manzoor, a short by Geeta Dhurve, published in Chakmak, June 2020, Eklavya, Bhopal.

  • Illustrations for Adam, Ek Dopahar, a short story by Italo Calvino, translated by Madan Soni, published in Sandarbh Issue 128, Jun 2020, Eklavya , Bhopal.

  • Ek Philistini Shayad Kahe, (illustrated e-poem) . The poem is by Naomi Shihab Nye , translated by Anuradha Annanya, illustrations by Shefalee Jain., Published by BlueJackal, May 2020.

  • Co-edited and published (online and in print) Drawing Resistance Issue 1, with Lokesh Khodke, Vidyun Sabhaney and Shivangi Singh, Feb. 2020

  • Afternoon, (illustrated e-book, May 2020) an illustrated book by Shefalee Jain, published by BlueJackal, an independent comics and picture books collective, Nov. 2019. Shop for the book (print book) at the BlueJackal website.

  • Illustrations for a story titled ‘Mulaqat’ written by Rinchin in her book ‘Chudail ka nashta aur anya kahaniyaan’ published by Eklavya, Bhopal. 2019 Dec.

  • A chapter titled ‘ Viklang: Performing language and cripping modernity through translation’ in the book Disability in Translation: The Indian Experience, by Shefalee Jain, volume edited by Someshwar Sati and G.J.V. Prasad, published by Routledge. 2019

  • Illustrations for a story titled ‘Jeet Ka Jashn’ written by Rinchin in her book ‘Ajooba aur anya Kahaniyaan’ published by Eklavya, Bhopal. (2018, Dec)

  • Wrote and designed an art column for children in children's magazine Chakmak, published by Eklavaya, Bhopal. The column was called 'Chitron ki Bhasha'.  I introduced a different work of art (painting/sculpture/photography/installation)every month to the children through this column which I wrote and designed.

  • Illustrations, cover design and jacket design for Aditi ki Sahas Kathayen ,a set of eight children’s books (translated from English into Hindi and published by Eklavya, Bhopal),2010-12.

  • Participated in a workshop on ‘Illustration for Children’, Uttarkashi, organized by Tara publishers, Chennai.

  • National workshop on ‘Illustration for children’, Eklavya and Sir Ratan Tata trust, Bhopal, 2006.

  • TEN, a counting book for children with Tulika Publishers, 2005. This book was later translated into English, Tamil and Malayalam.

  • Illustrations, cover design and jacket design for Aditi and her Friends, written by Suniti Namjoshi( a set of eight children’s books) published by Tulika, Chennai, 2005-07.

  • Jointly illustrated (with Lokesh Khodke) Mother, a poem by Kancha Illiah, as part of a project titled Different Tales: Stories from Marginal Cultures and Regional Languages. The project was conducted by Anveshi Research Centre for Women’s Studies, Hyderabad. A set of 25 children’s books in three languages were published by Mango, D C books, kottayam, kerela, 2008 as a result of this initiative.

 

ONGOING ENGAGEMENTS:

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  • Writing a regular column in Chakmak titled 'Kala Ke Aayaam' since Jan. 2022. It is a column on art, in Hindi, for young adults which sets out to discuss artworks that trouble the idea of normalcy/normativity.

  • Conducting a series of workshops in visual storytelling, onsite and online, with women researchers and social workers from UP and Delhi, who are part of the project ‘No Space For Work’, Zubaan, Delhi.

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