Visual Artist Megha Madan On How Cities Inspire Her Work

Megha Madan hails from a family of doctors and scientists. Her mother, a doctor, also had a flare for painting. She remembers her mother encouraging her to draw and paint even as a toddler – “From my earliest memory of childhood I remember painting and drawing to my heart’s content. I followed that passion throughout my school life where I was known for being good at art and craft.”

Megha is a visual artist from Delhi, who is currently pursuing a PhD in Printmaking from the University of Delhi. She was part of the recently concluded art exhibition, Inbound, which also featured the works of artists Aban Raza and Aditi Aggarwal. Having being part of several group exhibits since 2012, she has also organized art workshops across age groups and taught at the Springdales School.

PC: MEGHA MADAN

The artist says the city life and urban culture inspires and informs her work the most, “My works revolve around home and concrete structures. And at this exhibition I showcased some of my most recent work.”

“Sometimes an artwork is completed in one day and sometimes it may take months.”

Most of what the artist produces is very intuitive – she can’t consciously trace it or track it. Recently felicitated with the Merit Award in Delhi Zone by the Prafulla Dahanukar Art Foundation, she adds, “Sometimes an artwork is completed in one day and sometimes it may take a few months.” And in all of this, her mentor, artist Kavita Nayar has been the strongest pillar of strength.

But are there any challenges of being a young woman artist in this country?

Megha informs, “I don't think there are any challenges specifically pertaining to being a woman artist, but I do feel that in our society we, as women, continue to face numerous challenges. It is not easy to keep a career going alongside having a family no matter how progressive we consider ourselves till now.”

“You may spoil quite a few of your works but your own experiences and failures will teach you the most.”

Her work has been displayed at Art Society of India, Mumbai, CIMA Art Gallery, Kolkata, Bombay Art Society, Lalit Kala National exhibition, Stainless Art Gallery, New Delhi, Lessedra Gallery, Bulgaria, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi amongst many more. Her advice to aspiring artists is to just keep working, “You may spoil quite a few of your works but your own experiences and failures will teach you the most.”

Megha’s future plans? She says, “I see myself working and creating more and more art and growing each day as an artist.”

Also Read: Artist Aban Raza On Why And How Her Work Mirrors Human Realities