Our featured artist this week is Shyamolie Madhavji
"Allow me to start by introducing myself as a passionate visual artist, textile lover and free lance set designer. Being brought up in a family full of art lovers and established artists it is no surprise that I have won that genetic lottery and imbibed this rich heritage. Being raised in Mumbai I am accustomed to the main hub of street art and popular art festivals and exhibitions.
My artwork revolves around the theme of Rogan and Ajrakh handicrafts and textiles from my motherland Kutch, along with the beautiful sights and sounds of Mumbai that one sees on their daily routine. Making paintings which revive my religious values and beliefs makes me proud of my ethnicity and takes me back to my ancestral roots. My paintings have the ability to express my emotional and sentimental persona. My work allows me to explore my unconscious ideas and awakens my creative personality. I find myself continuously discovering more about the historical background of my country and emotionally connecting myself with various traditional customs and
ethnic values. Hence my artwork is a combination of my personal upbringing in Mumbai and my cultural family history from Kutch.
After visiting Kutch and spending a couple of days with the local craftsmen and artisans, I was inspired to make my own textile designs and include them in my paintings. Textiles and handicrafts have always been very close to my heart as my great grandmother used to paint on saris and various other garments. Seeing her paintings made me motivated to reach out to entrepreneurs that can help me revive these magnificent crafts and promote the hard working and skilled
craftsmen of Kutch.
Working across a variety of media my work includes paintings, installations and textile prints. Painting with any medium apart from acrylics and guaches takes me out of my comfort zone which allows me to experiment with various techniques like screen and lino prints. My paintings include splashes of multi colours with intricate patterns with an abstract and contemporary twist. I often enjoy making a fusion of paintings and installations."
Selected artwork:
Artworks in order:
Dhobhi Ghaat, 2021, Acrylic on canvas, 62cm by 45cm
"This painting is a combination of my ethnic culture and tradition and personal upbringing. The black and white visual represents the sights and sounds of Mumbai which one sees on a daily routine in this beautiful metropolitan city. This painting depicts a scene of Dhobhi Ghaat which is an open air laundry space. The washers, known as Dhobhis' work in this space to clean clothes of the common man. The portrait is contrasted with colourful geometric designs which are inspired by Ajrakh and Rogan Handicrafts from my motherland, Kutch. The Rabari tribe in Kutch is known for these magnificent textile designs. The use of black paint highlights the historical beliefs of the Rabari tribe as black is the most sacred colour for them."
Rabari Chaiwala, 2019, 35 inches by 23 inches
"This painting is a combination of my ethnic culture and tradition and personal upbringing. The black and white visual represents the sights and sounds of Mumbai which one sees on a daily routine in this beautiful metropolitan city. This painting brings out the importance of a the Chaiwala ( a roadside tea vendor ). The portrait is contrasted with colourful geometric designs which are inspired by Ajrakh and Rogan Handicrafts from my motherland, Kutch. The Rabari tribe in Kutch is known for these magnificent textile designs. The use of black paint highlights the historical beliefs of the Rabari tribe as black is the most sacred colour for them."
Rabari Dabbawala, 2019, Acrylic on Canvas, 35 inches by 23 inches
"This painting is a combination of my ethnic culture and tradition and personal upbringing. The black and white visual represents the sights and sounds of Mumbai which one sees on a daily routine in this beautiful metropolitan city. This painting brings out the importance of a the Dabbawala ( a man who carries children's food from their home to school at lunchtime ). The portrait is contrasted with colourful geometric designs which are inspired by Ajrakh and Rogan Handicrafts from my motherland, Kutch. The Rabari tribe in Kutch is known for these magnificent textile designs. The use of black paint highlights the historical beliefs of the Rabari tribe as black is the most sacred colour for them.
Rabari Narialpaaniwala, 2020, Acrylic on canvas, 12 inches by 16 inches
"This artwork is a combination of my ethnic culture and tradition and personal upbringing. The black and white visual represents the sights and sounds of Mumbai which one sees on a daily routine in this beautiful metropolitan city. This artwork highlights the importance of street food vendors ( a man who sells coconut water ) in Mumbai. The portrait is contrasted with colourful geometric designs which are inspired by Ajrakh and Rogan handicrafts from my motherland, Kutch. The Rabari Tribe in Kutch is known for these magnificent handicrafts. The use of black paint highlights the historical beliefs of the Rabari tribe. Black is the most sacred colour for them."
Rabari Bhajiawala, 2020, Acrylic on canvas, 12 inches by 16 inches
"This artwork is a combination of my ethnic culture and tradition and personal upbringing. The black and white visual represents the sights and sounds of Mumbai which one sees on a daily routine in this beautiful metropolitan city. This artwork highlights the importance of street food vendors in Mumbai. The portrait is contrasted with colourful geometric designs which are inspired by Ajrakh and Rogan handicrafts from my motherland, Kutch. The Rabari Tribe in Kutch is known for these magnificent handicrafts. The use of black paint highlights the historical beliefs of the Rabari tribe as black is the most sacred colour for them."