Mrinalini Mukherjee The only daughter of artists Benode Behari and Leela Mukherjee, Mrinalini
Mukherjee was born in Bombay in 1949. She studied painting at M S University of Baroda
between 1965 and 1970. From 1970 to 1972, she did her post-Diploma in mural design under
Prof. K G Subramanyan. It was from this time that she started experimenting with natural
fibers as a medium. In 197 1, she received a British Council Scholarship for sculpture and
worked at West Surrey College of Art and design in Farnham, U K. Mukherjee has
participated in many distinguished group shows and has held several sole exhibitions. In
1994-95, she was invited by the Museum of Modern Art at Oxford to mount an exhibition of
her sculptures. The show subsequently traveled to several cities in the U K. She, has also
participated in an international workshop in Holland in 1996. During the last two years,
Mukherjee has been experimenting with ceramics.
Mukherjee's is a unique voice in contemporary Indian art. The sculptures
knotted painstakingly with hemp ropes in earthy or rich glowing colours evoke a fecund
world of burgeoning life, lush vegetation, iconic figures. The strong note of sexuality is
manifest in the phallic forms, the mysterious folds and orifices, the intricate curves and
drapes. There is a sensuous, tactile quality to her work which exercises a compelling hold
on the viewer.
Mrinalini Mukherjee lives and works in New Delhi.
