A spiritual calling to help revive the art of Pichvai

The hand-painted textile traditionally hung behind the idol of Shrinathji, an incarnation of the Hindu god Krishna, with meticulous detailing is called a Pichvai. Amazed by the colourful complexity and intricate detailing of the art form Delhi based art enthusiast and designer, Pooja Singhal started working on her fourth edition of the Pichvai revival series titled, Pichvai Tradition and Beyond, which is slated to open in Delhi on April 26 at Bikaner House.

“Every time I looked at Pichvai, I was amazed at how so many forms and colours came together with such a beautiful aesthetic balance. The depth and width of this art form are phenomenal. The more I saw, studied and researched, the more I felt that there was so much that could be done. It was almost a spiritual calling for me to work with the artists and the temple town of Nathdwara in Udaipur, Rajasthan, the home to the main shrine, revered and visited by devotees, especially the Vaishnavite sub-sect of the Pushtimargis,” says Singhal, who belongs to a third generation Industrialist family with deep roots in Udaipur. She grew up with Pichvai art in her hometown.

“My mother was a patron of the arts and I grew up seeing artists in and out of my home showing their work to my mother. She would often help family and friends visiting Udaipur to buy a good Pichvai. We visited the temple often and the few artists who painted Pichvais looked upon my mother as a patron of their art. They often visited her to show their new artworks. Over the years, my attempts to buy a good Pichvai were in vain as the patronage had declined and therefore the art form was no longer viable for many of the artists for whom it was passed on from one generation to the next,” says Singhal, adding, “The technique and skill required to make Pichvai was passed down from father to son and thus, became a family tradition. The painters lived in colonies in Nathdwara and earned a livelihood from patrons and pilgrims alike.”

Singhal has been working on this project for over seven long years. For Singhal, it was a decline in the quality of this art form in the market that she started to research and work with her team of artists to revive this art form in its old glory. “We started Pichvai Tradition and Beyond as an initiative for sustenance and revival of this endangered art form,” says she.

A proponent of intervention, modernisation and reinterpretation, Singhal showcases Pichvais in a modern avatar. Elaborating further, she says, “In the beginning, the interventions were minimal. Then sometimes out of necessity and sometimes through accidental discoveries and later, I deliberately experimented with the miniaturisation, the use of Mughal miniature decorative motifs in large works, the deconstruction of the traditional form to extract the intricate, exquisite elements which form the vines and webs of details in Pichvai paintings. These works assumed their own identities, their own following and became accessible to diverse audiences by touching them in meaningful ways.”

In this show, each thematic section presents a selection of fine artworks in both miniature and large scale formats. The juxtaposition of rare traditional compositions alongside new interventions and reinterpretations makes this exhibition unique. The show will also be multidimensional, curated, commissioned and designed by Singhal herself. “It is an attempt to challenge the perceptions of how traditional art must be viewed, rethinking the established codes of display and interpretation, the three rooms – each with its own persona – have been manipulated so that the art houses the space rather than be constrained by it,” says Singhal, adding, “The black and white tiled foyer, so reminiscent of Lutyens’ Delhi, is home to the sketches made by the Pichvai: Tradition and Beyond (PTB) atelier’s artists which I have re-engineered as art form as well the remarkable and layered greyscale artworks.

The large, main hall, with its old-world grandeur, is perfect for the gold appointed works, the most traditional pieces showcased together. And the neutral vibe of the side gallery brings alive the edgiest works – non-iconic, secular, with traces of pop culture, and highly accessible to a modern consumer.”
Talking about the various challenges she faced as she started on the path to revive the art, she says, “The most challenging part is dealing with the unwillingness of the younger generation of the artist families. They have all reached a point where they want to make quick money and do not agree to go through the rigorous training and discipline that is required to become a master Pichvai painter that the older generation of artists went through.”

There was a time in the Indian Market when contemporary art was possibly the only art that people were aspiring to buy and collect. Traditional art was considered folk and tribal and an inexpensive form of art that was only hung in traditional homes. Singhal believes that there has been a whole shift towards minimal, clean and contemporary design. “Today we have come a full circle. It is something akin to fashion where we are moving towards traditional fabrics once again. A similar movement is now happening in the art scene where people want to buy traditional art. It has become aspirational, however, traditional art has to reinvent itself and appeal to the younger generation or the evolved aesthetic of the Indians of today. They are far more exposed to design and various art forms across the world.”