MITHILA

QAGOMA > What's On > Exhibitions > The 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art (APT8) > Artists > Kalpa Vriksha > MITHILA

PUSHPA KUMARI
Born 1969, Madhubani, Bihar, India
Lives and works in Delhi, India

PRADYUMNA KUMAR
Born 1969, Muzzafarpur, Bihar, India
Lives and works in Noida, India

Pushpa Kumari is a younger generation Mithila artist who has retained the Mithila paintings' distinctive styles and conventions while addressing new subjects. Mithila or Madhubani painting is an ancient art form traditionally practised by women in the Mithila region of Bihar in northern India and Nepal, and was initially painted primarily on the walls of dwellings. The works are characterised by intricate drawing, geometric patterns and elaborate symbolism. In her work, Kumari has focused on themes such as female infanticide and women's rights, as well as drawing on local epics and stories. She was raised in the village Madhubani and was taught by her grandmother, the acclaimed Mithila artist Mahasundari Devi. Her brother-in-law Pradyumna Kumar began painting in 2002 under Kumari's tuition and creates detailed, finely drawn works reflecting contemporary and traditional themes such as pollution or sacred trees. The artists have worked collaboratively on a number of occasions.

KALPA VRIKSHA: Contemporary Indigenous and Vernacular Art of India