The Next Generation – Shyamolie Madhavji

Tradition through Textile

Shyamolie Madhavji’s artistic range touches virtually all corners of history, culture, and tradition. With hands originally seeped in fabrics and threads and eyes glued to patterns and symbols from the very beginning, it’s no wonder that Madhavji’s work incorporates themes of craftsmanship and material. Madhavji specifically draws on personal experience and knowledge of the history and culture of traditional artisanship in the region of Mumbai. Throughout the artist’s work you may find symbolic color patterns and expressive forms which come together to form a type of text entirely their own. Shyamolie Madhavji weaves and stiches together traditions through textile-informed work which is as crafted and vibrant as the history it draws upon.

Part One: Who is Shyamolie Madhavji?

Question Two: Who are you as an artist?

As a passionate artist and creator, my artwork includes paintings and installations along with digital textile prints. I am interested in Indian handicrafts and the history of South Asian Artisans as well. My artwork helps me gain more knowledge about my own culture, tradition, ethnic religious values and the history of my country. I like to work with vibrant colours and designs mainly inspired by pop art and street art. I like to experiment with Photography, Print Making, and other techniques of painting which bring me out of my comfort zone.
Before I went to university, I traveled to my hometown Kutch which is famous for its magical handicrafts and rich textiles. I enjoyed spending time with the artisans and discovering new styles of embroidery and weaving which taught me more about Textiles.
My artwork is a combination of my ethnic culture and tradition along with my personal upbringing. My paintings have a deep connection with the ordinary lifestyle of Mumbai along with the handicrafts from my motherland, Kutch.

Question Three: What do you absolutely need your audience to know about you or your work?

My artwork highlights the intricate handicrafts and textiles of Kutch and depicts the beauty of Mumbai, I want the audience to appreciate the magnificent, ancient Indian handicrafts and the tedious process behind it. I want to give back to the place I’ve come from and go back to my ancestral roots and make their culture come alive in my artwork. My artwork also includes visuals of the working class and street vendors of Mumbai. I want the audience to see the lifestyle of every hardworking Mumbaikar following their daily routine through my paintings.

Question Five: What keeps you going?

Being born and brought up in a family full of artists and art lovers, it is no surprise that I have inherited this creative talent too. When I was a child, my grandmother used to show me her mother in law’s ( my great grandmother’s ) artwork. She was an artist who loved painting on fabric, her designs were painted onto saris, handkerchiefs, mats, bags and other such products. After seeing her intricate paintings on cloth, I was inspired to learn more about the co-relation between fine art and textiles. My great grandmother had an art school called Sarasvati Mandir, where she would teach young children different styles of painting. She had also encouraged her children to pick up this talent and always wanted them to carry on the legacy in the family.
Being an art lover, I like to spend my time reading Art magazines, books and write up’s about upcoming exhibitions and searching artists on Instagram. Some of my favourite artists- Sudhir Patwardhan, Sameer Kulavoor, Shelly Jyoti, Morag Myerscough keep me going. I have been inspired by these talented individuals for a couple of years. Whenever I see new artwork that they have created, something inside me gives me a boost of motivation to get up and make some new work. As cliché as it sounds, my favourite artists will always be my role models. For every project in university I would read articles about them for inspiration and include their work in my research and essays.
Another thing that keeps me going is my Goal card I have made, which I keep in my studio. It is something like a to-do list but also motivates me to create new Art every day. On this goal card, I write down my agenda for the week, and behind that I draw a small sketch of me achieving that goal. However small or big the goal may be, it’s the feeling of achievement at the end of the week that motivates me to continue making new work. That visual always reminds me that I am a passionate hardworking artist who will one day have several solo exhibitions worldwide.

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Part Two: Handcrafted

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 revive 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

Where/ How can Vacant Museum viewers see more of your work and where can they purchase it?

https://www.faceprints-shyamolie.com/ Featured on – – Indian Art Express, Annual Exhibition- Art is the Highest Form of Hope – India Pavilion, London Design Biennale 2021 – Art 4 Wellness Online Magazine – Arts Collective United Kingdom – The Artli Gallery- Artist of the Month – Polemical Zine Magazine- Artist of the month – Axisweb Praxis Graduate Residency – Misaal Mumbai by Rouble Nagi – Women’s Inspiring Network