Mayadhar Sahu

Born on 11 January 1988 in Odisha, India, Mayadhara Sahu is a sculptor based in Baroda, Gujarat. He completed his BVA in Sculpture from B.K. College of Art and Crafts, Bhubaneswar, in 2010, followed by an MVA in Sculpture from M.S. University, Baroda, in 2015. With over two decades of practice, his work explores rural life, personal narratives, cultural identity and memory, drawing from everyday experiences and observations of rural communities. His practice also extends into performance art, where physical endurance and movement become integral to his artistic inquiry.

Sahu has received several awards and fellowships, including the Junior Fellowship from the Ministry of Culture, Government of India (2018), the Kalanand Art Award (2022-23), the Khoj Support Grant (2020), and the Dhi Support Grant, Hyderabad (2020). His solo exhibitions include Astapura at Bikaner House, New Delhi (2024), Village Tales-II at Gallery White, Baroda (2022), Dist. Mayurbhanj at Kanoria Centre for Arts, Ahmedabad (2018), and Village Tales at Sakshi Art Gallery, Mumbai (2015). His work has also been exhibited at India Art Fair, Art Mumbai, CIMA Awards and the National Exhibition of Art by Lalit Kala Akademi, among others.

His works are held in significant collections including Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, New Delhi; Lalit Kala Akademi; Odisha Lalit Kala Academy; Agastya International Foundation, Bengaluru; and private collections in India, the UK, USA and Hong Kong. His engagement with endurance is also reflected in his long-distance cycle yatras, including a 1,800-km journey from Bhubaneswar to Baroda in 2020.

The artist lives and works in Baroda, Gujarat.