Mapping the mind of Mithu Sen
New Delhi-based artist Mithu Sen is a powerful and unique voice amongst contemporary artists. She straddles multiple forms of expressions — be it drawing, performance, poetry, moving images, sculptures, installations, sound, and many more, to express her ideas. Born in West Bengal in 1971 and living through times of economic liberalisation as well as the dynamics of a vibrant socio-economic landscape, Mithu defies conventions of language, society, discipline and gender. Instead, she chooses to devise her own language, her own narrative on religion, caste, politics and gender. What makes her works thought-provoking, even shocking sometimes, as she uses hair and blood from her body, is her sheer audacity of showing harsh realities that lie behind stylised exteriors. And therein lies the spine of her oeuvre.