MillenniumPost
Features

Bringing folk and tribal art into the limelight

Only a few countries including India can boast of a rich heritage of ancient folk and tribal art that been passed from one generation to another. But it is only in recent years that such art is being documented by researchers and scholars.

An exhibition of "folk and tribal art" has been put on display in the Capital from July 18–28 at the gallery of Art Konsult, which has put together the exhibits with the help of curator Kiran Mohan, a renowned connoisseur in the world of art.

The show will present a few rare artworks from the collection of the folk and tribal arts of India – which is in fact one of the best works developed in the country over the decades.

The artists whose works will be on display include Baua Devi, Bhajju Shyam, Bhuri Bhai,Gariba Singh Tekam, Amit Dombhare, Jangarh Singh Shyam, Venkat Raman Shyam, Durga Bai, Kala Bai, Subhash Shyam and Gariba Dev.

This show presents the famous and almost extinct Pinguli Chittrakathi painting from Maharashtra. In the present day, there is only one family left which actively practices it. This show also showcases works of Warli master and legend Jivya Soma Mashe, who passed away recently. Odisha Saura paintings also are an important part of the collection.

Apart from this, folk art from various districts of West Bengal, Santhal Scroll paintings and Jadu Patas from Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Bihar, folk arts from Gujarat, and Vedic Cosmology art are worth seeing.

The show is also a rare opportunity to witness Meena Tribal Art created by the Bawaria Tribal villagers.

Some of the recent additions to the collection include sculptural works such as Gombe and Bhuta Sculptures from Karnataka and remarkable sculptures from Nagaland and Manipur.

The show has been inspired by a similar show of folk and tribal art held in January 2017 by MATI India which was selected as one of the best exhibitions at Visual Arts Gallery, India Habitat Centre.

Speaking of the show, curator Kiran K Mohan says, "Working on this show has been such a learning experience of knowing and understanding our heritage and its cultural riches. Very few galleries have taken this initiative to sustain and conserve both the artists and their art forms. They need our encouraging support to keep these tribal art forms to resurrect."

As Director Siddharth Tagore says, Art Konsult has been promoting the Folk and Tribal art of India since the early 1990s and the current show is a continuation of Art Konsult's aim to highlight and preserve the country's living culture of indigenous art. One of its first ventures with Folk and Tribal art was at Oxford Gallery in Kolkata; an exhibition of Gond Art which was a growing art movement at the time.

Next Story
Share it