Pushpa Kumari
Born 1969 in Ranti, India
Lives and works in Ranti and Delhi, India
Pushpa Kumari is one of India’s foremost contemporary traditional artists and divides her time between Delhi and her ancestral village of Ranti. Her artistic roots are deep within the Mithila/Madhubani folk art tradition, and she learned this art as a young child from her grandmother, the renowned artist Mahasundari Devi. Mithila or Madhubani art is one of India’s most popular folk art genres from the Indian state of Bihar. Kumari incorporates in her art the stylistic devices and signature elements of Madhubani art. She imbues her works with strong personal statements and compelling pre-occupations. They are often concerned with women’s issues and the immense ecological challenges facing humankind in the twenty-first century. Kumari both strengthens and subverts the tradition, using it as a medium for her message which can be both overt and subtle, lending a beguiling charm to her intricate black and white and colourful drawings.