Unlock South Asian Art History with The MAP Academy

Rashmi Ghosh, a chartered accountant by profession, was feeling trapped in the drudgery of numbers as she navigated the complex world of spreadsheets and balance sheets. A spark of creativity and a deep passion for art was simmering under the surface. For years, it lay pushed to the backburner in the rat race of securing the right academic grades and degrees for a “successful career”. Ghosh stood at a crossroads – for her, the allure of canvases in vibrant colours and tactile textiles in myriad forms and textures was irresistible.
Armed with her passion, Ghosh decided to make the switch from being a chartered accountant to a visual artist. But, even as she was enjoying the transition, the journey was dotted with challenges. She found herself grappling with an all-new world where number crunching turned into colour visualisations and formulae into materials and textures. It was at this moment that she stumbled upon the MAP Academy, an open-access knowledge platform with a focus on the art and cultural histories of South Asia.
“Thank you for bringing us well-researched documentaries, artist talks and well-designed courses covering a wide range of topics in textiles and visual arts. I have switched careers from being a Chartered Accountant to a Visual Artist and the courses have helped me to increase my knowledge base. The course presentations and artist talks are of high calibre,” said Ghosh in a recent testimonial for the MAP Academy.
The online platform offers a wealth of resources, including stories exploring lesser-known histories of art in South Asia, an online encyclopedia covering explanations of techniques and materials, comprehensive overviews on historical trends, and biographies of artists from the region. It also offers online courses on art – whether you are intrigued by the History of Textiles, Narrative Painting, Modern and Contemporary Art, Sculpture and Architecture, the list goes on. All of these come absolutely free of any charge.
“As a Pakistani Curator, Artist, and Consultant, working and living between Dubai and Karachi, the course at the MAP Academy has been instrumental in broadening my horizons. The art scene in Dubai has evolved into a global art market, and this introduction to Indian art will undoubtedly be beneficial for me. I look forward to exploring deeper into the subject,” said FS Karachiwala, curator and artist, who took the Modern & Contemporary Indian Art Course.
The MAP Academy was set up with the aim of making the histories of art more accessible to the masses. This repository of resources has a wide range of materials on art in South Asia, and you can find them across all the destinations that make up your digital routine, including Instagram, X, YouTube, and their website.
“The MAP Academy is a resource for everyone. We believe that cultural histories matter, and so do the ways people gain access to them. Our readers come from a variety of backgrounds, and are united by their curiosity,” said Varun Nayar, Director of the MAP Academy. “We’re building a big tent.”
Our past is a strong force that influences our present and our future. By engaging in cultural histories, we can unlock insights that compel us to think deeply about the world that we live in today. The information available on a platform like the MAP Academy is not only designed for students of history and art. The MAP Academy believes in making these histories accessible, recognising the importance of bringing a wide range of well-researched material and ideas to larger audiences.
“The work that the MAP Academy is doing is much needed. Its online platform deepens critical engagement with contemporary art and creates new learners. By creating freely accessible audio-visual material, it addresses the gap which several art schools and their history departments wrestle with,” said Shilpa Gupta, a contemporary artist.
The formats are a deviation from the traditional, often lengthy and inaccessible literature that we traditionally associate with subjects like history and art. In contrast to the overload of information available online, the MAP Academy believes in intentional and meaningful reading and learning. To elucidate, this is for the first time that a subject like Modern and Contemporary Art is being taught online, enabling anyone to join regardless of whether you are enrolled in an academic program or part of the larger ecosystem of art.
Referring to the Modern & Contemporary Indian Art Course, Gordon Janow, a long-time world traveller who has a keen interest in Western Asia, said, “A truly fantastic program with a treasure trove of unique insight and presented at a high level of intellect for both the beginner and serious student of Indian Art. The course structure neatly blends a unique historical timeline with political and world events that help capture a greater understanding of these Modern Art movements. I doubt there is any similar course as accessible and as well presented.”
So, whether you are an enthusiast looking for something to ignite your curiosity in your free time or an art connoisseur wishing to expand your horizons with in-depth histories of art movements across South Asia, the MAP Academy is the destination for you. Take a free online course, or simply scroll through their Instagram when you are taking a break from your routine to discover a whole new world.