Jayasri Burman

Jayasri Burman’s vivid portraits repurpose tropes from Hindu mythology and Bengali traditions. The painter—whose practice draws on folk art techniques like Kalighat and Patachitra painting—portrays Indian women as divine beings at one with nature.

Burman trained at the distinguished Kala Bhavana Institute of Fine Arts in India and received a Padma Award from the Indian government in 1985.

In 2007, India issued a series of stamps featuring her paintings to commemorate International Women’s Day. Featuring mystical hybrid forms in harmony with wildlife, Burman’s paintings are stories of empowerment and freedom that emerge from reflections on childhood memories and tales from core Hindu texts like the Ramayana, as well as commentary on social issues.