As part of the exhibits on practical methods of environmental conservation, innovations that promote sustainable practices and cultural practices that call for the reduction of toxins in our physical surroundings, Tribal Art Forms, in collaboration with United Nations and Yes Foundation, showcased ‘Earth Warriors’, an amalgamation of various traditional tribal and folk artworks from across the country. Incorporating non-decomposable materials like plastics alongside natural colours in their pieces, the artists registered their powerful plea against the mindless degradation and pollution of the natural world.
The organisers of the art exhibition, Rasika Kajaria, Mandira Lamba and Ridhi Bhalla, co-founded Tribal Art Forms motivated by their shared investment in bringing the rich traditional Indian art forms to the spotlight that had previously been reserved for ‘modern’ contemporary art. Travelling to the production centres and interacting with the artists led them to realise that the larger urban Indian art market wasn’t yet ready to receive indigenous art with the respect and appreciation it deserved. Thus they endeavoured to promote these forms in metropolitan centres through sustained programmes and online platforms. The exhibition reaffirmed their belief that these art forms, so creatively reflecting their histories through each culturally unique style, are in no way inferior to any other art forms, only sidelined in their wake.
‘Earth Warriors’ was brought to life by the celebrated art curator Minhazz Majumdar. Through the artworks she put together, she sought to represent the diversity within the umbrella category of tribal-folk art, which for her embodies the Indian artistic and cultural ethos, by including forms like Bhil and Gond Art from Central India, Warli paintings from Maharashtra, Hazaribagh paintings, Bengali Pattachitra art, Madhubani paintings from Mithila, and the bamboo basket-weaving craft from Meghalaya. While acknowledging the cultural context of the artists and their works, she emphasised the importance of valuing the works as aesthetic art worthy of recognition and appraisal of its own, independent of the baggage of ethnographic studies and of undue comparisons with ‘modern’ contemporary art. She stated that given the right opportunity and platform, the indigenous artists dismantled misconceptions and prejudices against them and proved the worth of their stunning art, handed over generations within their communities.
In the vibrantly coloured and vividly detailed artworks on display, the artists portrayed the organic connect between nature and humanity, how humans function not as superior to other life forms but as a part of the intricate web of life within the natural world. For instance, the works Ram Singh Urveti and Japani Shyam exemplified the traditional Gond tribal art, both in monochrome and animated colours, with intricate patterns unique to each artist’s style.
Artwork by Japani Shyam | Photo Credit: Special arrangement
They depicted human figures in close association with sprawling images of trees, clouds and animals. Two large spherical structures made entirely of paper mache depicted in characteristic Gond style the various forms of life, flora and fauna, in earthy shades. Hazaribagh paintings, traditionally painted on walls with natural earth colours, were transferred onto canvas and framed, lending them the value of not only adornments but also that of an aesthetic experience. Another form of painting, Pattachitra art, a compilation of about a dozen painted sheets into a large scroll, was narrated by the artist Montu Chitrakar, hailing from the artisan Chitrakar community, in the form of a self-composed song in Bangla. The piece, through both visual and narrative methods, bemoaned the ill-effects of the infiltration of plastic waste into the water bodies and forests which form the life essence of tribal and rural communities.
Depicting the detrimental effects human activity has on nature, the large, finely detailed Madhubani painting by Pushpa Kumari incorporated among the materials use plastic wrappers, to make a statement against irresponsible disposal of such waste, and simultaneously to suggest ways in which it can be recycled creatively. Another such creative purpose was lent to plastic waste by the skilled basket-weaver Bilioril Kynter, hailing from the Meghalayan Khasi tribe. She spoke of how her baskets are traditionally weaved with bamboo stalks, found in abundance in the state, and serve purposes of storage and transportation. The use of plastic bags in the piece exhibited was both symbolic – signifying how ‘going green’ and being more judicious in one’s use of plastic would ensure abundance – as well as an effective method of recycling the waste. Another major attraction was a huge figure of a cow, created entirely with re-purposed plastic bottles and paper waste, and painted over with Madhubani murals, by the award-winning artist Pradyumna Kumar.
The statement that all these artists made was crisp, clear and as readily available to the viewer as their vibrant and dynamic art itself – that it’s about time humans assume responsibility, respect the natural world that sustains them, and find ways to contain the damage they have done. The art underlined the intimate bond between its origin – in the indigenous artisan communities of the subcontinent – and its content – the natural world which forms the cradle of all life and abundance, thus registering a powerful statement for its preservation.
(The exhibition can be viewed at Vigyan Bhawan till 5th June)