Education

Ph.D., Doctor of Philosophy, Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX 2013- January 2024.

·       Dissertation Title: A Battleground of Scars: Media Reports on Acid Violence Against Women in India. Committee Chair: Dr. Agatha Beins

·       Research Assistant to Dr. Claire Sahlin

·       Teaching Assistant to Dr. Danielle Phillips- Cunningham, Dr. Linda Marshall, and Dr. Claire Sahlin

·       Graduate Teaching Assistant: Gender and Social Change: Introduction to Women’s and Gender Studies

Master of Fine Arts, Visual Art and New Media, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA 2010-2012

·       Thesis: Crimson Perennial Annal: Global Menstrual Taboos

·       Advising Committee: Prof. Dewey Crumpler, Prof. Allan deSouza, Prof. Meredith Tromble, and Prof. Jeremy Morgan

·       Honors Student

·       Runner-up Class Valedictorian Speaker

·       Teaching Assistant to Dr. Laura Fantone, Prof. Dewey Crumpler, and Dr. Susan Greene

Post-baccalaureate Certificate, Visual Art, San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA 2009-2010

·       Honors Student

Bachelor of Fine Arts, Visual Art, The Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA 1999-2003

·       Honors Student

·       Major in Painting & Art Theory

·       Minors in Sculpture and Drawing

Publications

·       Co-Author, Govindnathan, Pallavi. “Knowledge and Global Inequalities.” Authors: Dev Nathan and Govind Kelkar, Journal of Gender, Technology, and Development, Taylor and Francis, Bangkok, Thailand. Published October 2022.

·       Govindnathan, Pallavi. “The Construction of Patriarchal Attitudes Through the Use of Violence: The Influence of Ancient Indian History in Establishing Contemporary Messaging on Acid Violence.” Monograph. Centurion University of Technology and Management. Odisha, India. Published May 2022.

·       Kelkar, Govind and Govindnathan, Pallavi. “Social Norms and Attitudes Towards Women’s Entitlement to Land.” Impeding Structures of Gender Equality, Oxford University Press, 2022.

·       Govindnathan, Pallavi. Women and Their Work, Women and Their Work Gallery Catalogue, 24 July 2021.

·       Kelkar, Govind and Govindnathan, Pallavi. “Social Norms and Attitudes Towards Women’s Entitlement to Land.” Council for Social Development (CSD), New Delhi, India. 2020.

·       Govindnathan, Pallavi. Re/Devaluing Colorism: The Intersections of Skin Color and Currency by The Southwest School of Art. 10 January 2020. Southwest School of Art Catalogue.

·       Villavaso, Morgan. “Graduate Student Combines Art with Activism.” The Lasso. Texas Woman’s University, 20 October 2016. TWU Newspaper. Online.   

·       Govindnathan, Pallavi. “Menstrual Diaries: The Language of Patriarchy.” San Francisco Art Institute: MFA/MA Art and Ideas. Ed. Zeina Barakeh, Vera Kachouh and Anne Shulock. San Francisco: San Francisco Art Institute, 2012. 47. Print.

·       Govindnathan, Pallavi. “Historical Inequality.” Man As Object: Reversing the Gaze. Ed. Tanya Augsburg and Karen Gutfreund. San Francisco: Women’s Caucus for Art, 2011. 94. Print.

·       Govindnathan, Pallavi. “Acid Violence Against Women in Bangladesh.” Public   

       Culture: Society for Transnational Cultural Studies 22.1 (2010): 7- 15. Print.

·       Paidipaty, Poornima. “Reconstructing Corrosion: A Conversation with Pallavi

       Govindnathan.” Public Culture: Society for Transnational Cultural Studies 22.1  

       (2010): 17- 23. Print.

·       Govindnathan, Pallavi. Corrode: An Artist’s Response to Acid Violence in

        South Asia. New Delhi: Roli Books, 2010. Print.

Recent Research and Employment

·       Researcher and Art Consultant, Gender and Development Center for Research and Innovation (GenDev), Gurgaon, India, 2019- Present.

·       Community Client Relations Manager, Valdez Financial Group LLC, Tucson, Arizona, 2020- 2021. (Business closure due to Covid-19).

·       Community Engagement Manager, COMMON Workplace, Tucson, Arizona, 2019- 2020. (Business closure due to Covid-19).

·       Graduate Teaching Instructor, Department of Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies, Denton, Texas, 2013- 2020.

Art Residencies

·       Feminist Art Conference (FAC) Residency, Artscape Gibraltar Point, Toronto Islands, Canada. 2016.

·       Sanskriti Kala Kendra, Sanskriti Foundation, Anandagram, New Delhi, India. 2006.

·       Visiting Artist. Shilpigram Indigenous Artists’ Center Residency. Bastar, Maharashtra, India. 1995-1999.

Awards, Distinctions and Fellowships

·  ABD Distinction. Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX., June 2021.

·  Faculty Advisor and Mentor. Circle K International: Texas Woman’s University. Affiliated with Kiwanis International (Student Development and Community Volunteering Program). Denton, TX. Spring 2016- Spring 2018.

·  Southeastern Women’s Studies Association (SEWSA) 2015 Student Travel Grant Award. Center for Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies at Florida Atlantic University. Boca Raton, FL. March 2015.

·  TWU Graduate Student Scholarship. Texas Woman’s University Denton, TX. 2013-2016.

·  Graduate Valedictorian Speaker Nominee Award. San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA, USA. 2012

·  MFA Fellowship Award. San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA. USA. 2010- 2012.

·  Kearny Street Workshop (KSW) Asian-American Artist on the Year Award, San Francisco, CA, USA. Summer 2010.

·  Sanskriti Kala Kendra Residency. New Delhi, India. 2004.

·  Dean’s List Award. The Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA, USA. Summer 2002.

·  Dean’s List Award. The Savannah College of Art and Design, Savannah, GA, USA. Fall 2002.

·  Student Artist Development. Shilpigram Indigenous Artists’ Center Residency. Bastar, Maharashtra, India. 1995- 1999.

·  Emerging Artists of Thailand Award. National Cultural Commission of Thailand. Bangkok, Thailand. 1999.

Lectures on Art, Art History, Gender Studies, and Other Interdisciplinary Fields:

·       Guest Speaker. “A Battleground of Scars: Analyzing Acid Violence Against Women in India Through New Media.” Doctoral Colloquium. Coordinator: Dr. Smita Mishra Panda. Centurion University. 21 January 2022.

·       Conference Panel Attendant. “Efforts to End Witch Hunts in Ghana and Indian.” Zoom Discussion. GenDev Center for Research and Innovation, New Delhi, October 2021.

·       Conference Attendance. The Sustainable Energy for All Forum. New York. April 2017.

·       “Theorizing the What If: Speculative Fiction in Art and WGS. National Women’s Studies Association, November 2016.

·       Creative Pedagogy: Utilizing Arts Based Research in Critical Thinking Pedagogy. National Women’s Studies Association. November 2016.

·       Guest Speaker. Reinventing Intersectional Art and Activism with Gender Studies: Generation New Approaches to Social Awareness and Mindfulness. Dr. Lauren Cross, University of North Texas, Denton, TX. 2015.

·       New Knowledge in Transdisciplinary Dissertation Research in WGS: Moving from Institutionalization to Lived Practices. National Women’s Studies Association. November 2015.

·       Challenging the Representation of the Devine-Whore in Bollywood Cinema Through the Emergence of Indian Indie-Cinema. Spring 2015. Center for Women, Gender, and Sexuality Studies. SEWSA conference. March 2015. 

·       Art, Activism, and Social Change: Tree Speech Art. Spring 2015. Guest Lecturer for Gender and Social Change classroom- Instructor Carla Wilson. Texas Woman’s University. Denton, Texas, April 2015.

·       Transgressing Gender Based Violence Through Art and Activism. Fall 2014. Panel Presenter at NWSA 2014. San Juan, Puerto Rico. November 2014.

·       Art, Activism, and Social Change: Activist Billboard Project. Fall 2014. Guest Lecturer for Gender and Social Change classroom- Instructor Sara-Ishii Downing. Texas Woman’s University. Denton, Texas, October 2014.

·       Art, Activism, and Social Change: Clothesline Project. Fall 2014. Guest Lecturer for Gender and Social Change classroom- Instructor Sam Schmitt. Texas Woman’s University. Denton, Texas, October 2014.

·       Women and Labor. Summer 2014. Guest Lecturer for Gender and Social Change classroom- Instructor Sam Schmitt. Texas Woman’s University. Denton, Texas, July 2014.

·       Art and Activism: Rock Art as Public Awareness. Summer 2014. Guest Lecturer for Gender and Social Change classroom- Instructor Sam Schmitt. Texas Woman’s University. Denton, Texas, July 2014.

·       Material Bodies Challenging Morality in Art. 2014 Student Creative Arts and Research Symposium, Denton, Texas, April 8, 2014.

·       Creativity as Transgression of Gendered Boundaries in Women’s Studies. 2014 Student Creative Arts and Research Symposium, Denton, TX, April 9, 2014.

·       Musical History of Devious Heroines in Bollywood Cinema- Guest Presentation. History of Jazz and Critical Studies. San Francisco Art Institute, San Francisco, CA, November 2012.

·       Reversing the Gaze: Man, As Object by Women’s Caucus for Art- Guest Presentation. Veiling, Revealing, and Creative Practice. SOMArts Cultural Center, San Francisco, CA, November 2011.

·       Transcultural Circumstances Group Lecture. Diego Rivera Gallery. San Francisco, CA, August 2011.

·       Hinduism Striptease: Religion and Cultural Misrepresentations. Kearny Street Workshop: Asian Artists Collective. San Francisco, CA, May 2010.   

Independent Research and Field Study

·       Parental Alienation Epidemic in the United Kingdom Among Working Class Families, early 2022- Present.

·       Media Research on Acid Violence Against Women and Girls in India, 2020- Present.

·       Researcher and Artist for GenDev Center for Research and Innovation, 2020- Present.

·       Independent Researcher and Photographic Documentation. Women and Empowerment Through Land Ownership in Rural India. 2013.

·       Independent Researcher and Photographic Documentation. The Pink Sari Gangs of India. 2013.

·       Independent Researcher. Educational Awareness Project: Acid Violence in South Asia. 2005- 2009.

Teaching Experience

 (Teaching experience includes academic summer teaching programs and online classes).

·       Fall 2013- 2020: Gender and Social Change: An Introduction to Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies. Department of Multicultural Women’s and Gender Studies, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX.

·       Summer 2016: U.S. Women of Colors (Online). Multicultural, Women’s and Gender Studies, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX.

·       Summer 2015: Graduate Research Assistant for Dr. Claire Sahlin. Multicultural, Women’s and Gender Studies, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX.

·       Summer 2015: Family Violence. Sociology and Multicultural, Women’s and Gender Studies, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, TX.

·       Spring 2012: Veiling, Revealing and Creating Practice. Department of Art History and Critical Studies. San Francisco Art Institute. San Francisco, CA.

·       Fall 2011: Painting Culture: Studio Art and Art Theory. Department of Painting. San Francisco Art Institute. San Francisco, CA.

·       Spring 2011: Trauma, Resilience and Creative Practice. Department of Art History and Critical Studies. San Francisco Art Institute. San Francisco, CA.

Teaching Thematic Expertise

·       Social Justice and Anti-violence Advocacy in India

·       Caste and Casteism in South Asia

·       Sociology of Development

·       Transnational Feminist Theories and Epistemologies

·       Women’s Health, Mental Health, and Acid Violence

·       Women of Color Feminist Thought

·       Imperial and Colonial Influences in Gender Violence in India

·       The Feminine Goddess in Indo-Tantric and Kamasutra Art

·       Female Transgressions in Honor-Based Societies

·       Brahmanical Hindu Masculinities in Modern-Day India

·       Implicit and Explicit Caste/Class-Based Gendered Violence in Media Rhetoric

·       Violence Against Women and Transnational Dialogues

·       Implicit Violence Against Women in Bollywood and South Asian Cinema

·       Representations of Gender and Agency in Italian Renaissance and Baroque Art

·       Representations of Violence in Baroque Art

·       Cultural Dialogues in European Renaissance and Baroque Paintings

·       Representation of Violence Against Women in Global Cinema

·       Body as a Sex Object in International Films

·       European New Wave Cinema and Women’s Identity (Russian Chernuka, French, and Italian)

·       History of the Devious Heroine in Bollywood Cinema

·       Feminist Performance Art as Transgression of Cultural Boundaries

·       Representation of Women in American Film Noir

·       Chernukha and Soviet- Russian Cinema- Focus on Sex Work and Poverty

·       Hindu Mythology and Representation in Art and Culture

·       Art and the Politics of Veiling in Muslim and Non-Muslim Nations

·       Art, Activism, and Social Change

·       Menstruation and Global Socio-Cultural Taboos and Restrictions

Selected Group Art Exhibitions

·       We Know Who We Are. We Know What We Want. Curated by Vicki Meek, Women and Their Work Gallery, Austin, Texas, July- September 2021.

·       The Right to Herself. Curated by Lauren Cross, Center for Fine Art Photography and the Lincoln Center Gallery, Fort Collins, Colorado. October- December 2020.

·       Re/De Valuing Colorism: Intersections of Skin Color and Currency. Curated by Aissatou Sidme-Blanton. Southwest School of Art Russell Hill Rodgers Gallery, San Antonio, Texas. December 2019- April 2020.

·       Feminist Art Conference Group Exhibition (FAC). Curated by Ilene Sova. Artscape Gibraltar Point, Toronto, Canada. May 2016.

·       Art, Education and Girl Power. Women of Color Art Gallery (WOCA). Directed and crated by Lauren Cross. Fort Worth, Texas. March 2014.

·       10th Annual San Francisco Altered Barbie Exhibition. Work Series: The Barbie Revolution. Curated by Julie Anderson. San Francisco, California. 2012.

·       Flying Fish. Work Series: The Barbie Revolution. Curated by Mido Lee and Hosted by Asian American Women Artist Association (AAWAA). San Francisco, California. 2012.

·       Perennial Annal. MFA Graduate Thesis Exhibition. The Phoenix Hotel. San Francisco, California. 2012.

·       Haraam. Third Strike: 100 Performances in the Hole. Performance collaboration with artist Nicole McClure. Curated by Justin Charles Hoover. SOMArts Cultural Center. San Francisco, California. 2011.

·       Historical Inequality. Reversing the Gaze: Man, As Object. Curated by Priscilla Otani. Women’s Caucus for Art. SOMArts Cultural Center. San Francisco, California. 2011.

·       Inspecting the Self (Selected work from series Menstrual Taboo). Keeping an Eye on Surveillance. Performance Art Institute. Curated by Hanna Regev. Class collaboration: Prof. Allan deSouza. San Francisco, California. 2011.

·       Erasing My Culture. One Size Fits All. Kearny Street Workshop. San Francisco, California. 2011.

·       Transcultural Circumstances. Expression of Art Through an Interwoven Culture. Asian-American Artists Group Collaboration. Curated by Orlando Lacro. The Diego Rivera Gallery, San Francisco Art Institute. San Francisco, California. 2011.

*A complete CV with a full list of group exhibitions can be provided for further review.      

Solo Art Exhibitions

·       Acerbic Drips. International Panel Lecture Series. Cornell Law School and AVON Global Center for Women and Justice. New Delhi- India and New York- United States. 2012.

·       Spidey Meets Barbie: Breaking Gender Stereotypes Through Toys. Collaboration with artist Laura H. Kim. Swell Gallery. San Francisco, California. 2011.

·       Hinduism Striptease. Kearny Street Workshop (Asian Pacific American multidisciplinary art organization). San Francisco, California. 2009- 2010.

Research and Professional Services

·       2019- Present: Artist and Cover Designer, GenDev Center for Research and Innovation (Gender and Development Research Institute), New Delhi, India.

·       2019- Present: Researcher and Writer, GenDev Center for Research and Innovation (Gender and Development Research Institute), New Delhi, India.

·       2016- 2017: Faculty Advisor and Mentor to Circle K International Group (CKI) at Texas Woman’s University.

·       2015-2016: Academic mentoring and advising for enrolling and former students.  

·       2014- 2015: International Women’s Day Committee Head.

·       2013- 2014: Head of Creative Arts Events at Multicultural Women’s Studies Graduate Student Association (MWGSA)

·       2012 Runner-up Valedictorian Speaker at San Francisco Art Institute.

·       2005-2009: Designing catalogues, brochures, and book covers for UN Women, New Delhi, India.

·       2005- 2009: Creating and donating art for women’s conferences/ events for funding and discussion.