Village Life

Pushpa Kumari and Pradyumna Kumar are Mithila artists. Dating from at least the fourteenth century, Mithila painting and drawing is an ancient art form traditionally practised by women in the Mithila region of Bihar in northern India and Nepal. For several centuries it was used to mark rituals and ceremonies, particularly weddings, and created mostly on the walls of homes. The Madhubani district is known for its artists, hence the form is sometimes referred to as Madhubani. The works are characterised by intricate line drawing, geometric patterns and elaborate symbolism.

Kumari is a younger generation Mithila artist who has retained the Mithila paintings’ distinctive styles and conventions while addressing new subjects such as women’s rights in India. Mithila painting has a highly developed symbolism – fish represent fertility, peacocks are associated with love, and serpents with divinity. It was closely linked with marriage and social ceremonies, with many paintings intended as instruction for newlyweds. Kumari’s works continue to draw on a strong theme of sexuality and the union between male and female. She was taught by her grandmother, the acclaimed Mithila artist Mahasundari Devi. Pradyumna Kumar is Kumari’s brother-in-law. He began painting in 2002 under her tutelage and is one of the first generation of male artists to practice this form.

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