Reliable Copy present their latest long-term publishing series and research project ‘(Fine) Arts Dissertation Series’. This series looks at the dissertations submitted by artists as part of their master's study at the Faculty of Fine Arts, the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, republishing a selection as facsimiles with contextualising information.

In Sculptor's Notebook, originally written in 1985, artist Pushpamala N. evaluates her artistic practice until that time. Centred largely around themes of adolescence and womanhood, her sculptures won a gold medal at the Sixth Triennale-India (1986) and the National Award (1984). While the sculptures take centre stage in this dissertation, there emerges a longing to move further towards performance, humour, and play-acting—themes that the artist would go on to develop over the following decades. Both an artist's statement and a prophecy, Sculptor's Notebook charts the motivations, struggles and desires of the artist's multimedium practice. Published here for the first time, Sculptor’s Notebook was written as part of Pushpamala N.’s master's degree in sculpture at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. The complete facsimile of this dissertation is accompanied by a recent interview with the artist by Nihaal Faizel and Sarasija Subramanian.

Urban Kitsch, originally written in 1996, explores the forms of vernacular visual culture that emerged in the city of Baroda following the liberalisation of the Indian economy. Plastic toys, celebrity mud flaps and postmodern architecture collide to create a new formal category—both celebrated and derided—as Praneet Soi traverses the city on his trusted Yamaha RX 100. Published here for the first time, Urban Kitsch was written as part of Praneet Soi’s master’s degree in painting at the Faculty of Fine Arts, Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. The complete facsimile of this dissertation is accompanied by a recent interview with the artist by Nihaal Faizel and Sarasija Subramanian.