An oasis in bustling New Delhi, Mithu Sen’s studio apartment exudes charm and character, with books, art, antiques and sunlight filling every nook and corner. “Your aesthetic is the strongest when it comes from your lived experience”, says the internationally-famed artist who has humble origins in rural West Bengal.
Describing her childhood, she shares, “I was constantly compared [to other girls] for my dark skin… someone even told me that pink is not my colour.” Its effect was so deep, that Mithu refrained from using the colour pink until years later, when she returned to it with zeal. Today, whether it’s drawing, painting, collage, performance or video, shades of pink play a dominant role in Mithu’s art and question traditional notions of femininity and sexuality.
In this BMW Artist Film, Mithu opens up about personal experiences in her life – and how they shaped the ideas that matter to her the most.
Mithu Sen was born in 1971 in West Bengal and currently lives and works in New Delhi, India. She is widely recognised for her remarkably unconventional artistic practice and is represented by Chemould Prescott Road, Mumbai.