The long term association has required frequent visits to Madhubani (Bihar) and its surrounding villages, working with scholars, researchers and the mithila artists themselves to build better structures of artistic production and channels for documentation, exhibition and sales.
The Mithila Art Institute (MAI) was established in Madhubani, Bihar in 2003, spearheaded by the Ethnic Arts Foundation. It was developed to train artists in the history and practice of Mithila painting, and charged no fee. Over 500 artists graduated from MAI until 2019, when it closed its doors. Every year the selected 25 -30 female and male students for its two-year program, the second year by invitation only. Over 500 artists graduated from the MAI, many of them going onto showcase their work at prominent galleries and museums across India and abroad as well. The Ethnic Arts Foundation (EAF), is a non-profit initiated in 1980 by American anthropologist Raymond Owens (late), along with several colleagues, including Dr. David Szanton. The EAF continues to support Mithila art through the hosting of exhibitions, documentation and writing, publishing and presentations in varied platforms. Lina Vincent began her association with the MAI in 2012 and conducted several workshops and exhibitions, included associated programs in France and the USA between 2016 and 2019.
Image Courtesy: Peter Zirnis & Lina Vincent