Indigenous Arts of India
The theme woven through this painting is the interplay between trees and fish, depicted in indigenous traditions of Indian art. In many ancient cultures, trees are acclaimed and adored, but in India, the tree is considered as Purusha and earth as Prakriti. The cosmic entity, Purusha, exists beyond the realms of time and space and combines with Prakriti to form this world of creation. Fish are a symbol of fertility and prosperity, symbolizing wealth and abundance. The presence of fish indicates that all the elements of nature are in harmony.
Warli
The Warli tribe is one of the largest in India, located outside the bustling metropolis of Mumbai, in the western Indian State of Maharashtra. Warli art is very near and dear to me since I grew up in Bombay, (which is now called Mumbai) and saw it very often drawn on walls, tree trunks and on cloth. This tribal style of art is thought to date back as early as 10th century A.D. The Warli culture is centered on the concept of Mother Nature and elements of nature are often focal points. Farming is their main way of life and a large source of food for the tribe. They greatly respect nature and wildlife for the resources that they provide. Warli artists use their clay huts as the backdrop for their paintings.
Warli painting is a simple, ancient and an eloquent way to express one’s thoughts and emotions. Only with some simple drawings and the use of two contrasting colors, a lot can be expressed. The Warli only paint with a white pigment made from a mixture of rice flour and water, with gum as a binder. A bamboo stick is chewed at the end to give it the texture of a paintbrush.
With changing trends and requirements, these indigenous and tribal art forms are now also done on handmade paper, silk saris, dresses, shawls & pots with acrylic colors and other current day art materials. These arts, though developed in the rural areas centuries ago have experienced a resurgence and are cherished even by the urban elite. Social scenarios are depicted these days using this art style, making it very contemporary. These paintings are very much in demand and the revival of these art forms has helped the artists and their creativity flourish.
Artwork and story by Nita Padamsee
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