Sharada Srinivasan
Encyclopedia
Sharada Srinivasan, Associate Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies
, Bangalore
, India, works in the field of inter-disciplinary scientific studies in art, archaeology, archaeometallurgy and culture and is also an acclaimed exponent of classical Bharata Natyam dance. She has a PhD. in Archaeometallurgy
from the Institute of Archaeology, University College London
(1996) on the theme of 'Archaeometallugical and art historical studies on South Indian metal icons'. Dr Sharada Srinivasan is a Lead Investigator on a prestigious UKIERI grant of British Council with Exeter University's Dr Gill Juleff and Prof Ranganathan on the project 'Pioneering metallurgy: origins of steel making in the southern Indian subcontinent'.
After obtaining a Master’s degree at the University of London
, she joined the Institute of Archaeology University College London to continue the project on the characterisation of South Indian bronze sculptures. During the tenure of Homi Bhabha Fellowship
,Srinivasan visited the U.K. and U.S.A. as a visiting scholar at the Smithsonian, the Conservation Analytical Laboratory, Museum Applied Sciences Centre for Archaeology (MASCA), University of Pennsylvania
, Conservation Analytical Laboratory, Smithsonian & Conservation Department, Freer& Sackler Galleries, Smithsonian, and presented papers at the Conference on Indus Archaeology, University of Wisconsin Madison and The Cost Committee Meeting on Ion Beam analysis in Art and Archaeology at Oxford
organised by European Commission. She also undertook further original research on technical evidence for high carbon steel by ancient crucible processes and ancient high-tin Bronzes and the surviving groups in Kerala for manufacture of high-tin bronze vessels and mirrors and lost wax casting. Sharada Srinivasan is co-chairperson of the prestigious international conference Beginning of the Use of Metals and Alloys, BUMA VII, Sept. 14th-18th 2009, Bangalore.
In this International Year of Astronomy the photo-montage exhibition 'Danse e-Toile: Nataraja et le Cosmos' curated by Sharada Srinivasan, scientist-dancer is featured at Alliance Française Bangalore Atrium. It explores cosmic sensibilities and the art, metallurgy and science of the Nataraja bronze and from the evocative lens of both the Bharata Natyam and French contemporary dance forms. It will be at Cité De L'Espace, Toulouse for the Festival La Novela as a prelude to an internet-streamed dance event between Sharada Srinivasan and K.Danse, France.
She is also an acclaimed performing artist specializing in the South Indian classical dance of Bharatanatyam
. She has performed and lectured at the Royal Asiatic Society
, the Royal Academy of Arts, for the Chola exhibition, the International Academy of Astronautics, the International Centre for Theoretical Physics
, Trieste, INTACH-Belgium, Nehru Centre, London, China Conservatory of Music, National History of Science Seminar, Hyderabad, University of Toyoma, Japan and others. She had a photo-exhibition in June 2008 at Alliance Française Bangalore (sponsored by Bid & Hammer Auctioneers (P) Ltd) entitled 'Cosmic Dance of Shiva
' on art-science-dance perspectives related to South Indian bronzes and the Nataraja
.
Danse e-Toile: Nata-raja et le Cosmos (Dance of stars: Nataraja and the Cosmos) was the first ever live, internet-streamed interactive dance and music programme between India and Europe. The event was held in Bangalore on October 17, 2009 as part of the celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. What made it more noteworthy were the creative choreography and the amazing synthesis of art, science and advanced technology.
National Institute of Advanced Studies
The National Institute of Advanced Studies , is a research institute in India.It is one of the unique institutions in the country conducting research in multidisciplinary areas....
, Bangalore
Bangalore
Bengaluru , formerly called Bengaluru is the capital of the Indian state of Karnataka. Bangalore is nicknamed the Garden City and was once called a pensioner's paradise. Located on the Deccan Plateau in the south-eastern part of Karnataka, Bangalore is India's third most populous city and...
, India, works in the field of inter-disciplinary scientific studies in art, archaeology, archaeometallurgy and culture and is also an acclaimed exponent of classical Bharata Natyam dance. She has a PhD. in Archaeometallurgy
Archaeometallurgy
Archaeometallurgy is the study of the history and prehistory of metals and their use through humans. It is a sub-discipline of archaeology and archaeological science...
from the Institute of Archaeology, University College London
University College London
University College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
(1996) on the theme of 'Archaeometallugical and art historical studies on South Indian metal icons'. Dr Sharada Srinivasan is a Lead Investigator on a prestigious UKIERI grant of British Council with Exeter University's Dr Gill Juleff and Prof Ranganathan on the project 'Pioneering metallurgy: origins of steel making in the southern Indian subcontinent'.
After obtaining a Master’s degree at the University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, she joined the Institute of Archaeology University College London to continue the project on the characterisation of South Indian bronze sculptures. During the tenure of Homi Bhabha Fellowship
Homi J. Bhabha
Homi Jehangir Bhabha, FRS was an Indian nuclear physicist and the chief architect of the Indian atomic energy program...
,Srinivasan visited the U.K. and U.S.A. as a visiting scholar at the Smithsonian, the Conservation Analytical Laboratory, Museum Applied Sciences Centre for Archaeology (MASCA), University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, Conservation Analytical Laboratory, Smithsonian & Conservation Department, Freer& Sackler Galleries, Smithsonian, and presented papers at the Conference on Indus Archaeology, University of Wisconsin Madison and The Cost Committee Meeting on Ion Beam analysis in Art and Archaeology at Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
organised by European Commission. She also undertook further original research on technical evidence for high carbon steel by ancient crucible processes and ancient high-tin Bronzes and the surviving groups in Kerala for manufacture of high-tin bronze vessels and mirrors and lost wax casting. Sharada Srinivasan is co-chairperson of the prestigious international conference Beginning of the Use of Metals and Alloys, BUMA VII, Sept. 14th-18th 2009, Bangalore.
In this International Year of Astronomy the photo-montage exhibition 'Danse e-Toile: Nataraja et le Cosmos' curated by Sharada Srinivasan, scientist-dancer is featured at Alliance Française Bangalore Atrium. It explores cosmic sensibilities and the art, metallurgy and science of the Nataraja bronze and from the evocative lens of both the Bharata Natyam and French contemporary dance forms. It will be at Cité De L'Espace, Toulouse for the Festival La Novela as a prelude to an internet-streamed dance event between Sharada Srinivasan and K.Danse, France.
She is also an acclaimed performing artist specializing in the South Indian classical dance of Bharatanatyam
Bharatanatyam
Bharata Natyam or Chadhir Attam, is a classical dance form from the South Indian state of Tamil Nadu, practiced predominantly in modern times by women. The dance is usually accompanied by classical Carnatic music...
. She has performed and lectured at the Royal Asiatic Society
Royal Asiatic Society
The Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland was established, according to its Royal Charter of 11 August 1824, to further "the investigation of subjects connected with and for the encouragement of science, literature and the arts in relation to Asia." From its incorporation the Society...
, the Royal Academy of Arts, for the Chola exhibition, the International Academy of Astronautics, the International Centre for Theoretical Physics
International Centre for Theoretical Physics
The Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics was founded in 1964 by Pakistani scientist and Nobel Laureate Abdus Salam after consulting with Munir Ahmad Khan. It operates under a tripartite agreement among the Italian Government, UNESCO, and International Atomic Energy Agency...
, Trieste, INTACH-Belgium, Nehru Centre, London, China Conservatory of Music, National History of Science Seminar, Hyderabad, University of Toyoma, Japan and others. She had a photo-exhibition in June 2008 at Alliance Française Bangalore (sponsored by Bid & Hammer Auctioneers (P) Ltd) entitled 'Cosmic Dance of Shiva
Shiva
Shiva is a major Hindu deity, and is the destroyer god or transformer among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity of the primary aspects of the divine. God Shiva is a yogi who has notice of everything that happens in the world and is the main aspect of life. Yet one with great power lives a life of a...
' on art-science-dance perspectives related to South Indian bronzes and the Nataraja
Nataraja
Nataraja or Nataraj , The Lord of Dance; Tamil: கூத்தன் ;Telugu:నటరాజ is a depiction of the Hindu god Shiva as the cosmic dancer Koothan who performs his divine dance to destroy a weary universe and make preparations for god Brahma to start the process of creation...
.
Danse e-Toile: Nata-raja et le Cosmos (Dance of stars: Nataraja and the Cosmos) was the first ever live, internet-streamed interactive dance and music programme between India and Europe. The event was held in Bangalore on October 17, 2009 as part of the celebration of the International Year of Astronomy 2009. What made it more noteworthy were the creative choreography and the amazing synthesis of art, science and advanced technology.
Education
- Ph.D. (1990–95) Institute of Archaeology, University College LondonUniversity College LondonUniversity College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and the oldest and largest constituent college of the federal University of London...
- M.A. (1988–89) School of Oriental & African Studies, University of LondonUniversity of London-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
- B.Tech (1983–87) Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai
Honors, awards, and recognitions
- Chairperson, Regional Sessions, Indian subcontinent, World of Iron Conference, London; 16-20 February 2009.
- 'Les pierre chantantes' 28 Feb 2009, a classical south Indian dance performance and talk on the theme of the stone 'musical' pillars in some south Indian temples such as Hampi and the scientific and artistic aspects by Sharada Srinivasan in Haber Poche, France.
- Materials Research Society of India Medal 2006
- Malti B. Nagar Ethnoarchaeology Award
- Indian representative for project for UNESCOUNESCOThe United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
Chair in History of ScienceHistory of scienceThe history of science is the study of the historical development of human understandings of the natural world and the domains of the social sciences.... - Member, International Committee, Conference of Beginning of the Use of Metals and Alloys
- Junior Research Fellow, Ministry of Culture (1999–2000)
- Post-Doctoral Smithsonian Fellowship ( April 1999- September 1999)
- Materials Research Society Graduate Student Award 1996
- Homi Bhabha Fellowship (1996-98)
- Petrie Award (1989)
- JN TataTata GroupTata Group is an Indian multinational conglomerate company headquartered in Mumbai, Maharashtra, India. Tata Group is one of the largest companies in India by market capitalization and revenue. It has interests in communications and information technology, engineering, materials, services, energy,...
Endowment(1988)
Research interests
- Applications of scientific studies in Art and ArchaeologyArchaeologyArchaeology, or archeology , is the study of human society, primarily through the recovery and analysis of the material culture and environmental data that they have left behind, which includes artifacts, architecture, biofacts and cultural landscapes...
- Archaeomaterials
- ArchaeometallurgyArchaeometallurgyArchaeometallurgy is the study of the history and prehistory of metals and their use through humans. It is a sub-discipline of archaeology and archaeological science...
- History of scienceHistory of scienceThe history of science is the study of the historical development of human understandings of the natural world and the domains of the social sciences....
- Classical Indian danceClassical Indian danceIndian classical dance is a relatively new umbrella term for various codified art forms rooted in Natya, the sacred Hindu musical theatre styles, whose theory can be traced back to the Natya Shastra of Bharata Muni .- Definitions :...
and Performing artsPerforming artsThe performing arts are those forms art which differ from the plastic arts insofar as the former uses the artist's own body, face, and presence as a medium, and the latter uses materials such as clay, metal or paint which can be molded or transformed to create some physical art object... - Crafts documentation
Publications
Quotes
- ...Talking about cosmic dance she said: “It is a metaphor of movement. There is also a personal metaphor — creation emerging out of destruction. I use the dance of the cosmos or the dance of science to discover aspects of ancient art that art historians have not been able to find ..
- ...There are fascinating interfaces between art and science. I returned to dance because of science. Dance injects an element of normalcy where I can enjoy contact with human emotions while science has an alienating quality. Bharatanatya is liberating and constricting at the same time because of its set forms and structure. I would have found it very limiting had it not been for science. Now I see the dance form as an element of movement of art forms..
- ...Capra was certainly not the first in portraying the Nataraja as a universal metaphor for the interface between science,spirituality, dance and art. But he definitely helped the idea to catch on.
- ...There is also something a bit Jungian in the Nataraja imagery that it somehow holds out a positive message of hope for coming to terms with loss through artistic endeavors or through acts of dedication.
External links
- Video : Danse e-toile: Nataraja et le cosmos' between Sharada Srinivasan and K.Danse, France
- Breaking art-science divide - The Hindu Article
- Doing the Cosmic Tango - Interview
- NIAS Faculty Home page
- Leonardo Electronic Directory
- Sharada Srinivasan's article The Sacred and the Sensuous
- Feature article on Sharada Srinivasan in the leading english news paper The Hindu
- Rhythm Divine - Sharada on Nataraja and Metaphysics - The Week, April1, 2007
- Sharada Srinivasan performs Bharatanatyam At international conference on Southeast Asian Archaeology September 1, 2008 Leiden, Holland
- Heritage: The Nataraja catapulted onto the global stage form sacred environs
- Wootz steel: an advanced material of the ancient world", in Iron & Steel Heritage of India
- Heritage: Kerala's mirror gets patent protection. The Week Sept 12, 66-8
- Metallurgical Heritage of India",.in Golden Jubilee Souvenir, Indian Institute of Science, pp. 29-36. Bangalore
- Heritage: Simmering Cauldrons, The Hindu: Sunday Mag - 13 July 2003
- Textures of wootz: technocultural insights on steel, cast iron and ferrous metals from south Indian antiquity
- Cosmic Ball- The Week, Nov 8, 2009
- A photo-montage and a multimedia exhibition is currently on display at the Alliance Francaise - Deccan Herald Report
- You tube video on Casting Nataraja and Metal Images at Swamimalai, Tanjavur district, Southern India, narrated by Sharada Srinivasan and shot by Peter Vemming, Middelaldercentret, Denmark
- Video of Bharata Natyam dance performance by Sharada Srinivasan of Mahadeva Shiva Shambho, at the event and exhibition 'Cosmic Dance of Siva' at Alliance Francaise, Bangalore, June 2008, video by Rakesh and Digvijay Mallah
- Video Danse et percussions. Sharada Srinivasan et Sébastien Sauvage ont réalisés une performance musicale et danse baratha natyam
- Pierres Chantantes Video