Malvika Raj

Malvika Raj is an Indian artist and fashion designer. She works in the Madhubani style of art. As a Dalit, she has used art to express her experiences with caste-based discrimination in India, and uses traditional techniques to express themes relating to Dalit identity and the Buddhist religion.

Malvika Raj
Born1990
NationalityIndian
Alma materNorthern India Institute of Fashion Technology, Mohali
Known forArt and Illustration
StyleMadhubani

Life

Raj is from Patna, Bihar, and studied at the Northern India Institute of Fashion Technology in Mohali, Punjab.[1] Belonging to a Dalit family, she credits her family and her father particularly, for educating her about Dalit leadership, politics, and history in India, and the close links between Buddhism and Dalit identity.[2]

Career

Raj initially worked as a fashion designer in Delhi, but returned home to Patna for health-related reasons. While recuperating at home, she trained in Madhubani techniques with artist Ashok Biswas.[2] She also learned traditional motifs and imagery used by Dalit women who made art in the Madhubani style in their homes, while visiting Samastipur in Bihar to continue her training.[2]

Raj's recent illustration, titled 'Mai'

Raj's work is inspired by traditional Madhubani art, which originated from her home state of Bihar and was primarily created by women on mud walls, using rice flour paint in their homes. Raj's work focuses on an aspect of Madhubani art called 'Kobhar' (translating to 'honey forest'), and traditionally consists of images from nature used to decorate walls for wedding ceremonies.[1] Speaking of her experiences in discrimination while studying Madhubani art, Raj said,

"Historically, the Tantric subset of Madhubani art has been something that only the Brahmins have been allowed to work on. During my trip, I met a Tantric artist and when I asked him if he could teach me the style, he outright refused because I’m a Dalit. When I replied to him saying that I could just study the technique enough and teach myself the art form, he said bad fate would befall me. Caste is so deeply entrenched in everyone’s minds that even a local Dalit artist asked me not to paint in the Tantric style because he feared for my life."[1][3]

Raj has stated that this incident, among others, made her averse to depicting Hindu mythology in her art.[1] Raj's work accordingly uses Madhubani techniques and styles, but her imagery draws from political and social aspects of the historical and ongoing discrimination faced by Dalits as a result of the caste system in India, from Buddhism and the history of Dalit conversion to that faith, as well as from Dalit political leaders and social reformers like B R. Ambedkar, and Savitribai Phule.[4][5][6] She also paints scenes depicting Buddhist imagery, including events from the life of the Buddha, and has stated that her first painting depicted a scene from the Buddha's life.[1][5] A portrait of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar made by Raj is on display in Edinburgh University.[1] Raj has stated that she has described facing opposition for her subversion of religious themes in Madhubani art.[7] Raj's work has been exhibited in India, at the Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai and the Indian Council for Cultural Relations and Lalit Kala Akademi in Delhi.[1][5][8] In addition to art, Raj is also an entrepreneur who designs clothing which bear Madhubani motifs, and she also teaches rural woman to paint on dresses.[1][9] Her work has been used as illustrations in articles on contemporary Dalit politics and identity in Outlook,[10] and Mint.[11] Raj has recently illustrated 'Savitribai Phule and I’, a book authored by Sangeeta Mulay.[12]

See also

References
  1. Alagarsamy, Hamsadhwani (22 January 2019). "In Conversation with Malvika Raj: Dalit Madhubani Artist". Feminism in India. Archived from the original on 12 October 2022. Retrieved 12 February 2023.
  2. Sheth, Anisha (27 April 2016). "Colours of rebellion: Capturing Ambedkar's life and revolutionary spirit in art". The News Minute. Archived from the original on 13 April 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  3. "Drawing Strength – How Madhubani Artists Have Challenged Caste Oppression". Sarmaya. 23 November 2020. Archived from the original on 4 December 2020. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  4. Trivedi, Divya (26 August 2013). "Art that subverts". The Hindu. ISSN 0971-751X. Archived from the original on 30 January 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  5. Kirpal, Neha (14 November 2020). "Dalit Lives Matter: This Bihar Painter's Art Is Her Activism". Moneycontrol. Archived from the original on 1 December 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  6. "Malvika Raj Dalit History Month Europe 2018". YouTube. Dalit Feminism. 15 May 2018. Archived from the original on 13 February 2023. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  7. Fernando, Benita (18 October 2020). "Talkin' About a Revolution". The Indian Express. Archived from the original on 5 October 2022. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  8. "ICCR presents An exhibition of Paintings by Ms. Malvika Raj from Patna at Art Gallery, ICCR, Azad Bhavan, I.P. Estate > 17th to 22nd October 2014". Delhi Events. 2014. Archived from the original on 1 November 2014. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  9. "The Alphabet of Violence & Resistance". Zubaan Projects. 2018. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
  10. Dhanaraj, Christina (19 October 2020). "Red Earth And The Sky A Dalit Blue". Outlook. Paintings by Malvika Raj. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  11. Kandukuri, Divya (11 January 2019). "The life and times of Savitribai Phule". Mint. Photo: Malvika Raj. Archived from the original on 6 January 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2021.
  12. Apurva, Ankita (28 February 2021). "Panther's Paw Publication: Literature That Needs to Be Read". Live Wire. Archived from the original on 14 May 2021. Retrieved 9 March 2021.
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