Treasured art
Bhavika Dugar ’19 studies Indian art at private museum
Internship: Gyan Museum, Jaipur, India
Supported by: Junior Summer Stipend
Major: Studio art
Hometown: Kathmandu, Nepal
A story of intrigue: “Growing up in Nepal, I was always surrounded by a variety of art styles: paintings, pottery, woodcarvings, sculptures and jewelry. When I read about Gyan, I loved the story behind the making of the museum. The Dhaddha family preserved their grandfather’s hidden collection of artifacts, which included a huge variety of art pieces one can’t imagine a man would collect alone. Hence I wanted to work at this private museum to gain insight into Mr. Dhaddha, who had never spoken to his family about his collection. This treasure was only found in the basement after he passed away.”
Exploration of objects: “I was mainly reading about the history of the museum and all the artifacts. I went to places where some of these artifacts came from and were made at. I showed visitors around the museum who had booked tours. In addition, I also handled the social media at the end of my time there as it took a lot of reading to understand the objects at the beginning.”
Questions and answers: “The biggest challenge was showing tourists around the museum, as the museum can be intimidating and one can easily get overwhelmed. There were always a lot of questions that I wouldn’t always be able to answer. But all the reading and the support I received helped a lot.”
Valued: “The first day I entered the museum I felt welcomed instantly and the fact that it lasted throughout—even though I was not as experienced as everyone else there—was my favorite part. And, of course, I enjoyed learning more about the culture of India.”
Business and arts: “Being a studio art major and a business minor, this was the perfect internship for me. This private museum also has a jewelry shop. So, after we took visitors around the museum they ended up at the jewelry store as they exited. So, it is a perfect business model as well as a contribution to the family. I learned tricks and received tips that will help me in the future.”