Gujarat varsity to rusticate student over artwork

VADODARA: Syndicate members of MS University in Gujarat’s Vadodara on Tuesday decided to rusticate Kundan Kumar Yadav, a masters of visual arts (MVA) part-I student of MSU’s department of sculpture of faculty of fine arts for creating the ‘objectionable artworks’ that triggered a major controversy last week. Varsity will also issue showcause notices to the faculty’s in-charge dean, vicedean and three other teachers in this connection.
Showcause notices will be issued to six teachers of the faculty including incharge dean Dr Jayaram Poduval, vice-dean Kashyap Parikh, associate professor Indrapramit Roy from painting department, Dr. Aqueel Ahmed, chairman of jury of assessment, Shanta Sarvaiya from sculpture department and the head of the painting department.
It is worth mentioning here that some of these teachers are well-known practising artists in their respective fields.
The syndicate members took the decision late on Tuesday night after a lengthy discussion that continued during the syndicate meeting for more than two hours. On last Thursday, the faculty had witnessed protests from right-wing outfits against the artworks that had newspaper clippings of articles regarding rapes on women.
The cuttings were made in the shape of various Hindu Goddesses.
After protests at the faculty, Poduval had denied that the artworks were part of the annual evaluation process. But a nine-member committee constituted by the university found that the artworks were prepared by Kundan Yadav and were submitted by him for examination scheduled on May 2.
“The controversial artwork was removed by the student immediately after being advised by the jury to do so,” the committee’s report states.