Draupadi (After Kuniyoshi)

b. 1964, India; based in Mumbai

Inspired by the images of Ukiyo-e artist Kuniyoshi (1798-1861), the artist renders Draupadi, the most important female character in the 'Mahabharata', in a pivotal scene. Having lost her freedom in a game of dice, Draupadi is shown here to be dragged by her hair to the court for public humiliation. In court, attempts to disrobe her publicly, will provoke the great Kurukshetra war, the pinnacle of the Hindu epic. The artist frequently employs characters from literature and mythology to explore the constant theme of an artist's struggle for creativity.