APPROPRIATING IDENTITY: CONTEMPORANEOUS ‘FOLK’ AND ‘TRIBAL’ VIKAS HARISH Even when photography was new in Europe, it was first introduced in Calcutta, India in the 1840s. The earlier drawings ‘Europeanised’ India, self-confessed by colonial officers, in an exotic representation of the artists perception. Photography then presented a certain ‘stern fidelity’ to the subject. The images were […]
Month: January 2018
Cover Story
MADHUBANI ART: CAPTURING MYTHOLOGICAL TALES & SOCIO-CULTURAL REALITIES MALLIKA CHAKRAWARTI Several generations have kept Madhubani art alive. In their spare time, women of the household would immerse themselves in this art, as it provided an opportunity to break the monotony and create something beautiful. These women would often work collectively and share their joys and […]
Report
THE ENCHANTED FOREST, THE LEGACY OF JANGARH SINGH SHYAM INDIRA LAKSHMI PRASAD Last October, Bikaner House in New Delhi hosted the exhibition of legendary modern Gond tribal artist Jangarh Singh Shyam. The exhibition was held following the release of the book ‘The Enchanted Forest’ by Aurogeeta Das and published by Roli Books, which focuses on […]
Report
BARAK MUSEUM: RUNG THE PRELUDE FOR NEW POSSIBILITIES DR. GANESH NANDI Barak Valley is a historical place situated in the Southern part of Assam and covering mainly three districts; Cachar, Karimganj and Hailakandi. Many things combined together work as a catalyst behind Barak Valley’s uniqueness and glorious identity. Its geography and population have differentiated this […]
Essay
A STUDY OF TRIBAL ART AND CULTURE OF BASTAR, CHHATTISGARH PINKI PRIYA For so long Chhattisgarh was a ‘terra –incognito’ for the historical world. It was the second half of the 20th century when historian and researchers attempted to draw the history, culture and tradition of Chhattisgarh. Although Chhattisgarh is a nascent state but its […]
Essay
AJRAKH: SINDH TO BARMER MADAN MEENA The block-printing Khatri community of Barmer recognize themselves as Bhram-Kshatriya (Hindu clan). This has relation to a popular mythical story – when Parshuram was eliminating every Kashtriya from the earth, he reached Sindh where two of the Kashtriya devotees of Hinglaj Mata went into hiding in her temple and […]
Eassy
FRAMING THE INDIGENOUS: DISCOURSES OF FEMINIZATION OF AESTHETICS THROUGH THE ORNAMENTAL AND THE DECORATIVE IN ALPONA IN EARLY 20THC.BENGAL DR. APARNA ROY BALIGA Early twentieth century Bengal saw the redesigning of the cultural sphere during the upsurge of the Swadeshi movement. ‘The two central themes in this context are the familial social space designated as […]
Essay
AIPAN MOTIFS: IMPLICATION OF CULTURE, TRADITION AND RELIGION IN THE LIFE OF KUMAONIS OF UTTARAKHAND ANIRBAN DHAR “In Art, Man reveals himself and not his objects.” Every region in India has its own style and pattern of Folk art. The folk and Tribal arts of India are very ethnic and simple, and yet colourful and […]
Essay
KOYA ADIVASI ART FORMS BHADRACHALAM, KHAMMAM DISTRICT, TELANGANA STATE ARCHANA SONTI The story of the Koyas goes back to pre-historic times. They seem to have had a highly evolved civilization in the past in which they were a ruling Tribe. Koyas are one of the few multi-lingual and multi-racial tribal communities living in India. They […]
Essay
STORIES ON SKIN NEHA MATHRANI In the Baiga community, it is both sexes that ink their bodies with the intricate designs, called Godna. However it is for women especially that the tattoos are singular markers of identity. The women are well known for their elaborate body art.The tattooing is carried out by women tattoo artists […]
Profile
THE LEGACY OF SORA PAINTING, A DIMINISHING ART OF AN ARTISAN SHANKU SHARMA People, as they say, have very short memory. They forget their history, tradition, and heritage only to end up adopting modern technological gadgets and gizmos. Globalization may have taken the world by storm, but some ancient art and artisans are suffering at […]
Profile
LITTLE FRAMES, LARGE LIVES AMBICA GULATI Among the more accoladed traditional artists, Mahaveer Swami has worked diligently for over four decades to keep the Bikaner miniature art alive In the narrow lanes of Bikaner lies a home where a 500-year-old art lives on. If you are not a native, you wouldn’t know this place or […]
Profile
EARTHEN-WORK OF SURMA/BARAK VALLEY: THROUGH THE EYES OF A YOUNG ARTIST DR. SIB SANKAR MAJUMDER For centuries, Barak Valley of Assam has been a melting-pot of various ethnic groups, cultural traditions which is richly reflected in its amazing variety of handicrafts – from bamboo and cane products, to masks, wood carvings, textiles and earthen ware. […]
REVIEW [ASSAM]
FOLKUS – LOOKING BACK SANJAY DE Folkus, the first-ever folk & tribal art gallery of north-east India, was opened on 6th December, 2017 at Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Road in Silchar, Assam. Sandipan Dutta Purkayastha, Pranab Seal and Ritam Chakraborty are the three persons who have started the initiative. The gallery was formally inaugurated in the […]
Photo Essay
MEENA TRIBES , TONK DISTRICT, RAJASTHAN PRASHANTA SEAL, MATI The Meena Tribe is one of the oldest tribal communities in existence, and in current times mainly inhabit mainland Rajasthan. The history of this Adivasi tribal group dates back to the 6th century B.C, and the community claim to be descended from the Matsya avatar of […]
Editorial
Happy New Year! The landmark of new beginnings as we experience the global togetherness of watching the countdown clocks in our respective time zones on December 31st. From here marks fresh starts, yet with us we carry the retrospective accoutrements of the year gone by. In the year 2017 we have witnessed both tragedy and […]