Image by Steffi Klenz from the series "Agnes Playing Leg", 2026

Archive Frictions is a project that brings a recently uncovered archive of photographs of women in educational settings into dialogue with contemporary artistic responses. The symposium features a lecture by Anna Fox, a session by Suryanandini Narain, and a conversation between artists Steffi Klenz and Priyadarshini Ravichandran, moderated by Mira Brunner.

At the heart of Archive Frictions is a remarkable collection of photographs discovered by research student Alexandra Gow in the archives of the National Galleries of Scotland. Believed to have been taken at the Women’s Christian College in Chennai and Kinnaird College for Women in Lahore during the early to mid-twentieth century, the images offer a rare glimpse into life at these institutions under the leadership of its principal, Isabella McNair—a British educationalist and passionate advocate for women’s rights and intellectual equality.

In contrast to the many stereotypical depictions of India present, this collection stands out for its focus on women— depicted within the uncommon context of the educational settings of the college—and for its unusually intimate photographic style. Two contemporary artists—Priyadarshini Ravichandran, based in India, and Steffi Klenz, based in the UK—have responded to the archive through the creation of new visual works.

Archive Frictions is a project delivered in collaboration with the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP), in Bengaluru, the National Galleries Scotland (NGS) in Edinburgh and Fast Forward: Women in Photography at University for the Creative Arts (UCA). The project is supported by The British Council, India and The University for the Creative Arts, UK.

To find out more and register for the symposium please go to the direct links.