Opportunities in Fine Arts for Indian Students in Canada’s York University

In an interview, Dr. Barbara Sellers-Young, Dean of York U Faculty of Fine Arts gives information about fine arts industry and career prospects for Indian students. Published by Shuchi Sharma on 21-02-2012  

North America’s leading school of performing and visual arts, York University’s Faculty of Fine Arts is internationally recognised for its outstanding professional training and extensive research in the field. The Canadian institute boasts the largest and most comprehensive programs of its kind in the country and is home to almost 3500 students and more than 250 faculties – both from Canada and across the world.

With the aim to expand its international relations, a team from York U Faculty of Fine Arts recently visited India. Spanning a duration of almost 3 weeks (Jan 1- Jan 18 2012), senior academic and administrative staff from the School visited the Indian cities of New Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore and Chennai, making stops at some of the country’s leading universities, Fine Arts institutes and cultural centres.

Leading the team was Faculty Dean Dr Barbara Sellers-Young, who was accompanied by Research Professor of Linguistics and lead architect of York University’s India Strategy, Dr Sheila Embleton. Dr Embleton also served as York’s representative at the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute for the past decade. Others on the team included the Faculty’s Associate Dean of Graduate Studies and Research and Design Professor Michael Longford; Film Professor Ali Kazimi; and the Faculty’s International Relations and Development Officer Ina Agastra.

The delegation visited leading Indian institutes such as Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in New Delhi and the University of Madras in Chennai, both of which have existing partnerships with the Canadian university. Other prominent visits by York included the National Institute of Design (R&D Campus) and the National Institute of Creative Communication India in Bangalore; the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, Jamia Millia Islamia Faculty of Fine Arts, Indian Council for Cultural Relations, and the National School of Drama in New Delhi; Whistling Woods International and Tata Institute for Social Sciences in Mumbai, among others.

Dean of York U Faculty of Fine Arts, Dr Barbara Sellers-Young, is a renowned Fine Arts researcher with strong professional links in Asia. Barbara has a BS in Sociology, MS in Dance and a PhD in Theatre from the University of Oregon. She has also taught at universities in England, China, and Australia and conducted research projects in several countries around the world, including Nepal, China, and Australia. Barbara is the recipient of the 2011 Dixie Durr Award for Outstanding Service to Dance Research and the 2008 Distinguished Alumni Award from the School of Music and Dance at the University of Oregon.

Dr Barbara Sellers in an interview to Asian Correspondent talks about Fine Arts industry, career prospects, the faculty’s successful trip to India, and what makes York U stand out internationally as a hub for tomorrow’s leaders.

Barbara, you’ve got quite an interesting research profile yourself – dance, theatre and performance theory. What urged you to pursue the Fine Arts?

Barbara: According to educational psychology, each of us has conceptual modes that are stronger than others. I am someone who conceptualizes the world kinaesthetically.  It was not something that actually came to fruition until I went to university where I started taking dance classes for the first time.  From here and the opportunities to study dance in specifically Africa and Japan, I became fascinated with the variety of movement vocabularies that exist across the globe and how they are tied to their cultural context.

What is the scope of research in Fine Arts? How is it different to more traditional subjects and what are the unique opportunities prospective students can expect?

Barbara: Research in Fine Arts encompasses the study of the history, theory and context of the arts contribution to society integrated with the technical vocabulary of the artistic discipline.  Thus, a student is taught to critically reflect on the world through an artistic medium and to create that reflection in the style of that medium.  As such, it is a combination of theories about how the world operates and a means to disseminate interpretations of that world.  In that regard, it is no different from other subjects…. The only difference is in the medium of expression is in visual, aural, or kinaesthetic means rather than written.

Could you tell us about the emerging Fine Arts industry in Asia?

Barbara: The trend in the last century has been complexity in a continuation of deeply embedded contextual aesthetic attitudes in interaction with global discourses.  For example, in Japan there have been the evolution of new forms of performance from the work of directors such as Tadashi Suzukii, playwrights Shogo Ohta, to dance forms such as Butoh—that integrate movement vocabularies from Noh and Kabuki with questions regarding the changing visual dimension of performance or the position of individuals in an increasingly urbanized environment. There have also been individuals such as director Ong Keng Sen from Singapore who have used Shakespeare’s stories and multi-Asian performance traditions to examine the position of Asia with regards to western texts.  Beyond this, there are sites such as Sanskriti Foundation in New Delhi that work with visual artists in Asia and India to explore the traditional crafts of India with the framework of contemporary

York’s Fine Arts faculty is one of its kind in Ontario. Could you tell us more about the range of opportunities available to students on these programmes?

Barbara: The Faculty of Fine Arts is distinctive because of its integration of theory and practice in seven programs (music, dance, theatre, visual art, design, film and digital media) and BA, BFA, MA, MFA and Phd degrees in these disciplines.  Students are encouraged to explore not only their specific study but to become engaged in the arts in general. Thus, students studying music also study composing for film and theatre.  Or, a visual art student creates a set design for the stage.  This ability to work across disciplines means that students are better prepared to be involved in the complex interactions that take place in the contemporary art world.

What are the programmes/collaborations undertaken by York Fine Arts in Asia?

Barbara: York Fine Arts has exchange relationships with several universities in Asia, such as Minzu University in China and the University of Madras in India.  Interestingly, we have also helped to establish the Film Program at JMI in New Delhi.

Other than that, we conducted a two year symposium on the arts with Peking University in Beijing in 2008 and 2009.  The first year at the Peking University campus included universities from across China discussing the role of the arts in a comprehensive university. The second year at York University included universities from China, Canada and the United States considering the role of art and technology.

Can you tell us more about the recent delegation from the Fine Arts faculty to India this year? What was the purpose of the trip?

Barbara: The purpose of the trip was to visit post-secondary institutions in Chennai, Bangalore, New Delhi, and Mumbai to investigate the possibilities of student/faculty exchange and research partnerships as well as to visit cultural institutions such as Kaleshetra in Chennai and Sanskriti in New Delhi to expand our knowledge and understanding of India.

What were your reactions during the trip and do you feel that your faculty could draw inspiration from some of India’s Fine Arts?

Barbara: I think I am still processing my thoughts on the trips. What was impressive about the arts in India is the sense of history and the relationship between all forms of art.  For example, the students at Kaleshetra study dance integrated with music, visual art and language, specifically Sanskrit.  The inclusion of nature in places we visited such as Sanskriti Foundation, Kaleshetra, and Dakshina Chitra was very interesting. The talent and technical facility of the students was inspirational.

Can you tell us more about the hand-on training and exposure available to York Fine Arts students?

Barbara: The Faculty of Fine Arts has extensive facilities in the visual and performing arts. Thus, students have the opportunity for in-depth study of the arts through all four years.  There are also many opportunities to present in productions on four stages, three screening rooms for film and two galleries as well as opportunities to intern on stages in Toronto, to exhibit in gallery spaces in Toronto or to attend international festivals such as the Toronto Film Festival, Luminato and Nuit Blanche.

And finally, what are the career prospects for Fine Arts graduates?

Barbara: There are plenty of opportunities for Fine Arts graduates! We are trying to get rid of the idea of starving artists. There are a lot of jobs available in this industry.

Source: Asian Correspondent

Related Articles

Canada – a New Promising Study Abroad Destination for Indian Students

Offices of Canadian Universities in India to Help Indian Students