It’s a showcase that takes viewers closer to tribal art, artists and their traditions. At the Tribal Art Exhibition, which is on at the Tribal Museum here, works under various categories of tribal art are on display, and that makes the collection truly out of the ordinary.
Organised by the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya, Bhopal and the SC and ST Research and Training Institute, Bhubaneswar, the aim of the event is to promote tribal art and artists.
The paintings bring in creative expressions of tribal artists from Gond, Bhil, Muria, Rathwa, Saura and Warli tribes of Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Odisha and Maharashtra respectively. The Pithora paintings are colourful and vibrant - with horses dominating the canvas to represent the Pithora Deo (god), along with other deities. The Gond paintings bring to fore simple forms decorated with lines and dots, with themes such as festivals, rituals, deities, animals, birds, trees and village life. The Gond tribals are settled around Bundelkand, Gondwana, Nimar and Malwa regions in Madhya Pradesh and their paintings are deeply connected to their faith and lives. The recurring motifs in their works are the Narmada river and life around it.
From Odisha, art works on village deities, lifestyle and food habits of tribes like Koya, Dongria Kondhs, Juanga, Bhuiyan, Saora, Dharua, Bonda and Santals are on display.
“Through this exhibition, we hope to make youngsters aware of the unique history, culture and art of various tribes and bring their art into the mainstream,” said Trilochan Sahoo, nodal officer of the Museum.
The exhibition is on at the Museum till January 31.