Meera Mukherjee

Statement

Born in Calcutta in 1923, Meera Mukherjee drew deeply from everyday life, finding inspiration in the lives of ordinary people. Her sculptures often depict fishermen, weavers, women sewing—capturing moments from daily routines that convey a quiet dignity. A painter and sculptor, Meera developed a distinctive technique for wax sculptures, frequently incorporating Bengali calligraphy, as well as themes of music and dance.

Initially studying painting at the Indian Society of Oriental Art and the College of Art, New Delhi, Meera shifted her focus to sculpture at Delhi Polytechnic. A period of travel in Europe exposed her to a range of artistic styles, both ancient and modern, which reaffirmed her commitment to expressing her personal vision through the cultural idioms of her own heritage. She spent time in Bastar, Madhya Pradesh, and Dhokra, West Bengal, where she immersed herself in the lives of local artisans and learned the traditional lost-wax casting method. Her studies of bronze casting in Chennai led her to develop a unique technique, blending folk traditions with South Indian and Western methods.

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