Freeman Fellowship goes to Nirmala Karuppiah

NIRMALA KARUPPIAH (b. 1972, Malaysia) has been awarded a 2009/2010 Freeman Fellowship at Vermont Studio Center, USA. During the Fellowship, Karuppiah will further investigate and develop her blend of culture narrative and traditional photographic techniques.

Works primarily with black and white photography, using traditional documentary techniques, as well as contemporary formats, Nirmala's body of work documents Malaysian dance troupes specifically traditional Indian dance. She has traveled extensively to capture dancers, audiences, performances and silences. She also photographs urban and rural landscapes, investigating cultural dialogues and developments.

Her masterful interpretations of these subjects have brought her recognition as a formidable young photographic talent with a discerning and elegant eye. Nirmala's work was most recently featured in the SGFA Gallery showing during Asia Week 2009, New York.