Hepworth Wakefield Presents "Unbound Forms": Five Women Sculptors of India and Bangladesh
From May 23 to November 1, 2026, the Hepworth Wakefield will present "Mrinalini Mukherjee: Unbound Forms—Women Sculptors of India and Bangladesh." This exhibition showcases the remarkable work of five influential sculptors: Mrinalini Mukherjee, Meera Mukherjee, Leela Mukherjee, Pilloo Pochkhanawala, and Novera Ahmed. Their artistry is deeply rooted in various themes such as nature, community, and mythology, particularly the naga motif. Highlights include Novera Ahmed’s 1973 painting "Snake" and her bronze piece "Un serpent nommé désir." Other significant works in the show feature Mrinalini's "Nag Devta II" and Meera's politically charged sculpture "Violence" from 1972.
Key facts
- "Mrinalini Mukherjee: Unbound Forms—Women Sculptors of India and Bangladesh" runs May 23–Nov 1, 2026 at the Hepworth Wakefield in Wakefield
- The exhibition features five women artists: Leela Mukherjee, Meera Mukherjee, Pilloo Pochkhanawala, Novera Ahmed, and Mrinalini Mukherjee
- Only two of the five artists were in each other's immediate spheres
- The naga, a half-human half-serpent water spirit, appears in Novera Ahmed's Snake painting (1973) and Un serpent nommé désir (1972)
- Mrinalini Mukherjee's knotted hemp naga works Nag Devta II (1979) and Naag (1986) are described as symmetrical like Rorschach tests
- Mrinalini Mukherjee's Adi Pushp I and II (1997, 1998–99) draw parallels between human and floral sexual organs
- Meera Mukherjee's Violence (1972) alludes to the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War
- Novera Ahmed's 1971 maquette proposes a monument to Bangladesh's independence
Entities
Artists
- Mrinalini Mukherjee
- Leela Mukherjee
- Meera Mukherjee
- Pilloo Pochkhanawala
- Novera Ahmed
- Chloe Chu
- Anya Fiáine-Fox
Institutions
- Hepworth Wakefield
- ArtAsiaPacific
Locations
- Wakefield
- United Kingdom
- India
- Bangladesh
- Pakistan
- London