Folk and tribal art pays tribute to mother nature

From 19th century Kalighat paintings, and Pattachitras from Odisha to tribal Gond art, and Madhubani paintings from Mithila, several forms of tribal and folk art from across the country are being showcased at a new art show here.
The show titled, "Prakriti - The Creative Feminine" that features over 158 artworks by 80 folk artists from different regions of the country, is a tribute to mother nature.
Gond artists Manoj Godpal and Subhash Vyam have painted elements of nature - animals, trees, aquatic life, along with local festivals celebrated in the region.
The haunting Mumbai attacks have been depicted in one of the paintings titled, "Smoking Taj".

Also, on display is a life-size portrait of Goddess Kali, painted in the quintessential style of the Kalighat art of Bengal.
A Madhubhani painting titled, "The Marriage Ceremony" shows a typical rural wedding in bright shades of greens and yellows.

The vibrant hues are reflective of the joyful ambience of a wedding ceremony.
Talking about the role of such exhibitions in promoting tribal art, renowned Madhubani artist Baua Devi says, "The exhibitions and articles on art give us an opportunity to be gain recognition not just in our own countries but also abroad."
She said such events have made art more accessible to viewers.

"Even middle-class people appreciate the work I do. In India, the art circle is restricted but if these kind of events are held more often, things would change for the better, especially for artists like us," she says.
The show which has been divided into four different sections, covers themes ranging from Hindu mythology to contemporary art.
The cloth-based mythical Pattachitra paintings at the exhibition, portray fascinating mythological tales, manifested in rich colourful motifs and designs, practised by "Chitrakaras".
The show presented by Tulika Kedia of Must Art Gallery and curated by Alka Pande, also has on display a variety of Warli paintings from the tribal regions of Maharashtra, along with several designs from Tanjore.

"The exhibition seeks to promote and spread awareness about indigenous art and the folk artists of our country. In the last couple of decades, as I began collecting Indian art, little did I realise that I was developing a passion that would ultimately consume me completely.
"Our indigenous art forms have myriad tales to tell, their colours evoke multiple emotions and their diversity is absolutely breath-taking," says Kedia.
While talking about the inspiration behind curating the show, Alka Pande says, "The art exhibition dedicated to prakriti unanimously leads to artist's imagination which is replete with the creative quotient. Mother Nature is worshipped by all cultures in some form or the other".

The exhibition is set to continue till March 12 at India Habitat Centre here.