Ekta Kaul

Background
Ekta Kaul is an artist and author whose work explores place, history and belonging through stitch and abstract painting. She is known for her narrative maps, and her work is held in public collections including the London Museum, the Crafts Council and Gunnersbury Museum. She is the recepient of the Cockpit Arts Textile Prize in 2021 and has authored Kantha : Sustainable Textiles and Mindful Making (Bloomsbury, 2024).

Research
During her Visiting Research Fellowship in the Creative Arts, Ekta is developing a new series of stitched cartographic self-portraits that map her life across India and Britain. The work is research-led, drawing on historic maps and Sheldon Tapestries in the Bodleian Libraries, with a particular interest in the often overlooked work of women mapmakers. Alongside her studio practice, she will engage with the Merton community through public lectures, workshops, a collective mapping session and open studios, culminating in an end-of-fellowship presentation.

Publications
Kaul, E. Kantha: Sustainable Textiles & Mindful Making (Bloomsbury, 2024). Nominated for the RL Shep Award for best book of 2025 in global textile traditions.
https://www.ektakaul.com