Pollution

Pollution is a highly detailed, intricate drawing showing the impact of development on life in Pradyumna Kumar’s surroundings and an example of the artist drawing on the Mithila tradition to express contemporary subjects. Crossing the middle of the painting is the roof and towers of a mosque while a river teeming with river life swimming mongst garbage begins in the bottom register in a farming landscape, moving through a city and branching into the hills above.

Mithila artworks were traditionally painted only by women. As artists transferred the customary designs to paper, the art forms have changed and developed in turn. A younger generation now address political and feminist themes and public issues as well as traditional stories, and — for the first time — a group of talented male artists have begun to create works in the Mithila style. Kumar is part of this first generation of male artists.

Exhibited in 'The 8th Asia Pacific Triennial of Contemporary Art' (APT8) | 21 Nov 2015 – 10 Apr 2016