The country has a multitude of communities that boast of indigenous art forms which have been reinstated through various mediums. Amid a plethora of arts, one might be familiar with Kalamkari, Pichwai, Madhubani, Gond, and Pattachitra. This artistic quintet is recognised around the world for its cultural significance. Despite being acknowledged worldwide, several of these art forms are on the verge of extinction owing to widespread industrialisation.
The artisans practising these usually reside in remote villages and hence find it difficult to promote their works. In an attempt to bolster Indian artistic communities, Gallery Ragini, Bikaner House, Shahjahan Road, is currently hosting ‘Conversations in my own language’. On display at this exhibition are the works of 10 contemporary artists, from various parts of the country, who are keeping indigenous art alive. These artists are rooted in long-standing traditions and thus combine myths, folklore, and history with present-day ideas to create distinguished pieces of art. Curated by Nidhi Jyoti Jain, who is also the owner of Gallery Ragini, the exhibition was inaugurated on Friday, and will be on display till April 12.
Addressing preservation of traditions
‘Conversations in my own language’ has been curated with an attempt to educate an urban audience about the rich, traditional art forms that are slowly dying in the wake of modernisation. Artist Dhavat Singh practises Gond art, which is a folk art by the eponymous tribal community. Singh, who hails from Patangarh, Madhya Pradesh, has a series of paintings of houses seen in his village. Through his display, Singh exhibits a fondness towards his home and community that he feels may get lost in the future. The Gond artist stresses on the reverence he holds for his community in a short note hung beside his paintings at the Gallery. “Every time I spoke to Dhavat, he would talk very passionately about his home. He would delve into a lot of the imagery of his dwelling so I asked him ‘If you love your home so much, why don’t you paint it!’. Hence came about this overwhelming result,” shares Jain.
M Vishwanath Reddy from Andhra Pradesh is committed to preserving the ancient art form of Kalamkari—an intricate style of hand-painting onto cloth depicting mythological and spiritual scenery and motifs—as existent in the town of Srikalahasti. Reddy, who has won the prestigious National Award in 2008 for his contribution to the art form, has created a work depicting a scene from the Ramayana with text from the Shiv Leela, a Hindu prayer, inscribed in Tamil (as was the case with ancient manuscripts).
Another intricate work displayed here is by Anil Khakhoriya. A resident of Bhuj, Gujarat, Khakhoriya has recreated woven net Pichwai (an art form of intricate paintings dedicated to Srinathji, a manifestation of Krishna), which was popularised in the late 1800s. His extremely intricate work—even though it is a recently-created piece, the artist manages to give it a primaeval look—gives the viewer an insight into an art form that we have completely lost.
Art created by drawing inspiration from the prevalent culture around him is the specialty of Prakash Chandra from Raghurajpur, Odisha. Along with a series of Pattachitra paintings (cloth-based scroll paintings with intricate details and inscriptions of mythological narratives), Chandra has built a sculpture that shows Lord Jangannath, his brother Balabhadra, and sister Subhadra. Through this work, the artist has created an interesting imagery using vibrant shades of red, yellow, and white. P Swamy's sculpture made out of single wood blocks is another piece that will draw your attention at the exhibition.
Reflection of artistic voices
As much as the showcased works have its roots in history, we also witness novel and distinct inputs of the artists in it. A perfect example is Madhubani artist A Kumar Jha’s painting that depicts the journey of Ganga—both geographically and historically. The painting juxtaposes snippets of the past with modern-day elements such as factories. The result strikes a perfect balance between the traditional practice and the artist’s unique sensibilities.
Hailing from Nathadwara region of Rajasthan, KM Singh’s Pichwai artworks also occupy a space between traditional and contemporary art practices. Through his miniature artworks, he is trying to revive his heritage—Singh has painted 16 pieces of work that depict the specific forms of Shringaar (what is it) that took place on various days. However, his contemporary language is dominant in other works. Manish Soni's work also exhibits similar endeavours.
This exhibition also features two contemporary renditions of the Ardhanarishvara—the composite male-female figure of the Hindu god Shiva together with his consort Parvati. One work is based on Singh’s practice of Gond Art and the other on Madhubani art by Jha.
Artists at the forefront
Adding an intimate layer to this exhibition is photographer Shoba Jolly’s images. Jolly has photographed these artists, their dwellings, and the communities they belong to—she travelled with the curator to their villages. The photographs clicked by her have been hung on the walls within the Gallery, and it offers an insight into what goes behind creating these intricate artworks that hold historical and artistic value. Elaborating her experience of these village visits, Jolly shares, “Ethnic art is slowly dying and it needs to be promoted. When we visited these villages, we were initially apprehensive. But I was delighted to find that villagers are such simple, pure folk. They invited us inside their huts, served us food, offered tea, and even posed for us while working very generously.”
All the artworks on display at this exhibition are available for sale, with the focus being on promoting these artists and helping them sustain in a time when Western influences dominate homegrown art. “The idea behind this curation is to encourage viewers to buy these works because these can be a relevant, beautiful art at one’s home. All of these are contemporary artists, they are living and practising in the present and it is important for us to support the ones who are alive rather than dwell on antiquities,” Jain concludes.
CHECK IT OUT
WHAT: ‘Conversations in my own language’
WHEN: Till April 12; 11:00am-7:00pm
WHERE: Gallery Ragini, Bikaner House, Shahjahan Road