Komal
Madar

Komal Madar is best known for her evocative, and meticulously crafted stylised sculptural vulvas (Yoni series) made from discarded offcuts of South Asian textiles, historically a feminine medium. "As I layer each piece of fabric, I think about all the complexities and layers of being a woman. Each cut down the middle symbolises a sacred act of celebration and assertion of feminine generative power.”  

Madar has been collecting offcuts from Indian tailors for over 10 years, a place where women frequently visit to have their traditional Indian suits made, thus the materials employed in her art are imbued with personal narratives and a collective connection to femininity. Her work is deeply rooted in her Indian cultural heritage, centring on themes of identity, Shakti, the divine feminine and spiritual concepts from Hinduism. 

Madar describes the Yoni series as a hybrid of painting and sculpture and wants the viewer to experience the back of the canvas as well as the front. Her distinct visual language of indian textiles with modern artistic expressions brings awareness to the challenges that women face in their day-to-day lives when navigating the many topics that can still be regarded as taboo. 

Through social media exposure, Madar’s Instagram reels and TikTok videos have culminated in over 15 million views, engaging audiences worldwide and sparking debates. She was invited to exhibit in a group show Miniature Postage Stamp Masterpieces in May 2023 in Mumbai (India) at Nippon Gallery, and has been selected to be one of the five contemporary Indian female artists spotlighted and featured in the Vogue India, November issue 2023.

Madar has had many notable exhibitions in the UK and abroad, including a solo exhibition showcasing a large body of work, featured in world-leading publications such as British Vogue, House and Garden and The World of Interiors. She has been a twice-shortlisted artist at the London La Galleria Pall Mall for the Royal Arts Prize exhibition and selected twice to exhibit in Rome at the Church Palace Hotel with Art Rooms.