Madhukar Mucharla and Jayeeta Chatterjee expanding their definitions of art

On their residency programme in Banyan Hearts Studios (BHS) in Hyderabad, the duo is exploring identity and the value attached to work

Exploring identity and keeping alive traditional crafts are elements that bind young artists Madhukar Mucharla and Jayeeta Chatterjee, both pursuing their residency programmes at artist Chippa Sudhakar’s Banyan Hearts Studios (BHS) in Hyderabad. The two artists in conversation with The Hindu MetroPlus:

Currently pursuing his residency programme at Banyan Hearts Studios, Madhukar is one of the emerging artists to watch out for in Hyderabad’s art firmament. The innate truth in Madhukar’s works emerges not only through his choice of material but also from the issues he addresses. Using leather as a medium of expression, he tells stories that reflect the inequalities around marginalised communities.

Sewing leather which is at the core of his art practice is deeply personal for Madhukar who grew up watching his father make leather products and footwear in his village Nandiwanaparthy near Hyderabad. With leather being at the centre of his ancestors’ occupation, he had pondered, since childhood, on the reality of unequal lives.