The nine-city series named 'Aadi Chitra' aims to boost the earnings of tribal artists besides bringing their paintings to the mainstream, officials said.
The themes at the exhibition range from religious to secular, gods and goddesses, animals and birds, the lifecycle, and the five basic elements of Mother Earth among others.
The paintings put up for sale present the creative expressions of about 40 artists belonging to the tribes of Gond, Bhil (both central India), Rathwa (Gujarat), Saura (Odisha) and Warli (Maharashtra).
The event has been organised by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited (TRIFED) and was inaugurated yesterday at the Birla Academy of Art and Culture.
TRIFED, which is celebrating its silver jubilee year, expects sales of Rs 10 lakh each from each city, the officials said.
The exhibition, which has been held in Chennai, will travel to Hyderabad later in the month.