Q2 Quarterly Magazine 2014
There is a saying in India when referring to something that is intrinsically Indian, “Issme se is mitti ki kushbu ati hai” loosely translated it means that “one can smell the fragrance of this motherland in it”. Such is the issue of our magazine this quarter – it bears the essence of India, its culture, people and their traditions. Which is why, while writing it, this issue has turned into one that is completely dedicated to traditional Indian art be it trying to fathom the amazing wealth that is Madhubani art or understanding the depth of inspiration and the need to stay with ones roots with our Artist in Focus – Gond Artist, NikkiSingh Ureti. We welcome any comments and suggestions that our readers have.
5 things you probably didn’t know about Madhubani Paintings
Madhubani or Mithila paintings are one of the more famous forms of traditional Indian art forms. Originating in the region of Madhubani in the Indian state of Bihar, the art is now practiced across India by amateur artists and even some contemporary artists have at times borrowed inspiration from these colourful mosaics. Much has been written about the art form - the fact that it was first practiced only by women, that no part of the canvas is left blank, that the paintings depict nature, Gods and demi-Gods, that they are ritualistic in nature and still form an important part of festivals and ceremonies like marriages; is common knowledge. But there are still a few things that probably not everyone knows about Madhubani, we bring you a few of these little known truths about the paintings:
How Madhubani art was revealed to the world?
Interestingly, it took an Englishman to introduce Madhubani to the Indians and the rest of the world. As history has it, in 1934, the state of Bihar suffered from a massive earthquake. A British officer, Willain Archer, was inspecting the damage caused by the quake in Madhubani district when he chanced upon the paintings on the interior walls of the dilapidated homes. He took some of the earliest known photos of the works in black and white. Later in 1949 he published an article on the paintings in the Indian art journal, Marg, which brought the paintings into the public eye. Later, Archer was to become the South Asia Curator at London's Victoria and Albert Museum. It took another natural disaster, a severe drought in the 1960s, that inspired the transition of the paintings from the walls of the homes onto paper, wheen the All India Handicrafts Board encouraged the women to create these paintings for sale.
The paper works are forever
Often one finds clients hesitant to purchase works on paper. After all when it comes to longevity, canvas is better than paper. But the works created by the Madhubani artists on special handmade paper are built to last. To start with the quality and gauge of the paper is standardized handmade paper. Add to that the artists use neem extract to treat the paper, not only to give it a peculiar stained background colour but also to protect it from insects and other pests. Sometimes an additional mild solution of cow dung is also applied. This is why, though Madhubani paintings are made on handmade paper they are immune to attacks from silver fish, termites etc.
The Feng Shui connect
Few would realize it, but the Madhubani paintings are replete with symbols and tropes which have a strong association with the Feng Shui philosophy. The use of flowers, especially the lotus, has special significance in Madhubani lore and even in Feng Shui flowers are supposed to imbue a beautiful energy and bring good luck and good fortune. Birds, which find pride of place in the Madhubani paintngs, especially those associated with the tree of life are linked to divinity and attaining knowledge and spirituality in Feng Shui as well. The fish in Madhubani paintings signifies prosperity and fertility and is considered to bring good luck in Feng Shui. The turtle or tortoise is another symbol that is in common and represents vitality and good luck. Thus, is a sense one could say that installing a Madhubani painting in your home will bring with it the immense benefits of Feng Shui as well!
The Importance of the Sun
The sun since ancient times, in all civilizations, has always had an important place in the legions of Gods and nature worship. Even modern science professes that the sun is the greatest source of energy and necessary for life on earth. Little wonder then that the Sun occupies such an important place in the Madhubani paintings as well. There are paintings which are wholly dedicated to the Sun and if not, then the Sun will find some place as a trope in most of them. As a primarily agrarian economy the Madhubani villagers are dependent on the sun for a good harvest. Interestingly, the Sun is painted in different moods and in different colours. The Sun painted with large eyes and in vivid colours represents the noon day sun, while the more mellow eyes would indicate the Sun either at dawn or dusk. Every Madhubani home will have one painting on the Sun as they pray to it on a daily basis.
The Marriage Sacrament
Marriages in the village are very important and joyous occasions. For every marriage a special painting is created so as to invoke divine blessings on the newlywed couple. Thus, in the painting will be depicted the nine planets, the sun, the moon and other auspicious symbols like the fish, turtle etc. Along with these seven special leaves similar to that of the lotus form the centre of the composition.
The Madhubani paintings are not just pretty and colourful additions to a home or office. For those who choose to explore them and read deeper into these amazing works will be well rewarded with a wonderful and amazing insight into the rich thoughts of these simple people.
~ Razvin Namdarian
February is the month in which the much awaited Kalaghoda Art Festival is hosted in Mumbai’s primary art district – Kalaghoda. The art installations here always do tend to have a social conscience and are related to events that are plaguing the society. While environment is always a primary concern voiced by the artists and plastic bottles have now become almost a cliché in such installations, this time the art festival also saw a commentary on women’s issues from the all-pervasive gender bias in Indian society to the heinous increase in the crimes against women in the country. These included Unsafe Touches and Imbalanced Justice. There were also some innovative ideas for public seating or street furniture presented by some artists. Illusion was a work that was particularly interesting as the perception changed as the viewer moved along the length of the work. With a new makeover in the organization of the festival, art is once again taking precedence at the festival with the installations outshining the ones of previous years both in terms of conception as well as number.
T2 at the Mumbai International Airport
It took four years, 1500 artists, a thousand sketches and many renderings to create the astounding display that is the T2 terminal at the Mumbai International Airport. It is a showcase of the finest of all art that India has to offer, from contemporary to traditional art, from world renowned artists to the humble artisan from the slums. Each work is site specific and created for the T2, thus one seamlessly leads into the other and even though the works are variegated to the extreme, nothing jars on the viewer as being out of place. An artist associated with bCA Galleries Rekha Rani has also contributed her works for the T2 as have other art luminaries like GR Iranna, Jagannath Panda, Baiju Parthan, Mithu Sen and Riyas Komu. Rajeev Sethi is the scenographer ( creative designer, art director and curator) of this mammoth project that holds more artifacts than any museum in India. For those travelling via T2, be warned, Sethi’s brief while launching into this creative maze was to create such an awe inspiring display that people could well miss their flights
Needless to say India is a melting pot of cultures. The rich diversity in terms of background, race, ethnicity…that is to be found in India, is probably unrivaled. It is this same diversity that given rise to various traditional art forms in the country...
Artist in Focus – NikkiSingh Ureti
Needless to say India is a melting pot of cultures. The rich diversity in terms of background, race, ethnicity…that is to be found in India, is probably unrivaled. It is this same diversity that given rise to various traditional art forms in the country. One of these is the Gond style of traditional art and we bring you one of its leading artists NikkiSingh Ureti.
How did your interest in art develop?
I remember that I must have been around only five years old studying in the first standard in my village when I got drawn towards painting. I started painting everything that I saw around me in the village – the way we live, the work we do – so my paintings had scenes like ploughing the fields, women cooking on an open fire and such. I would even have dreams at night about what I would paint the next day.
When I was very young my mother fell very ill, due to that I dropped out of school and later decided that painting would be the goal of my life. I was greatly inspired by Jangarh Singh Shyam who had taken our Gond art form to such international heights. All around me also in my village were these amazing paintings done on the walls by the women of our village. With such a rich heritage around me and with the blessings of Jangarh Singh Shyam, I too started painting in the Gond style. In a way you can say that is a family tradition that has been passes down through the generations.
Tell us more about Gond art.
Gond is more a way of life than just art. It is not only something that is colourful or looks nice but bears our history and culture. It tells the stories of our Thakur Devis and Gods, it celebrates our festivals, it rejoices in a bountiful harvest and it speaks of the poignant love of a family when a daughter weds and leaves the home. For those who seek to understand our Gond art, they will find everything of the way we live in our paintings.
Is there any difference in the way the young Gond artists create their works from the way it was done in the past?
Well, life is in a state of continuous evolution and since our art is based on life, it too has not been immune to changes. There have been modern influences on our art, for instance in some paintings you would find images of an airplane woven into the story. I feel that there is greater finesse in the manner of creation of the paintings and this is also because the medium we use has changed from rough walls of the homes, our art has now transitioned to canvas and paper, in addition we no longer used natural dyes but commercial paints which has increased the options of the colour palette immensely and introduced a new vibrancy to the works while not compromising on our traditional roots.
How do you perceive the future?
I wish to continue in this line as long as I am able, God willing. I hope one day that I too will get the recognition that the great Jangarh Singh Shyam enjoyed. By the grace of God, my painting has opened up my horizons for me, from Bhopal I have had the opportunity to travel to many cities in the country including the amazing metros of Mumbai and Delhi. Who knows perhaps I may get a chance to travel abroad as well and from painting an airplane, may actually get to travel in one!
Iran – a country which has stirred up several international controversies in the recent past and which has oft been berated for the autocratic manner in which it treats its women. This exhibition which showcases works by 14 upcoming Iranian photographers “explores the various notions of censorship and limiting freedom of expression due to political anxiety and cultural history.” The photographs have primarily been shot in a studio setting and not only bring to the fore the oppression that people face within the country but also the effects that years of war have had on the psyche of the citizens. This exhibition is a poignant acknowledgement of things lost – opportunity, innocence and hope.
The Buddha is an oft used muse in the wold of Indian Contemporary art, he has become synonymous with meditation and a symbol of peace. His contemporary, Mahavir, the 24th Tirthankar of the Jain religion has not been featured in Indian art, until now. Bharat Tripathi brings us canvases dedicated to all the 24 Tirthankars of the Jain religion. Based on diligent research, each of the Tirthankar's has been depicted in a unique manner. with particular symbols associated with each such as the turtle, snake, swastik etc.
Artists who have associated with us in the past 3 months
Our family of artists has been growing rapidly over the past months. The following are the artists who have joined & Updated with us in the past 3 months.
Bahadur Singh
Chandrakant Tajbije
Karuna Pawar
M Singh
Sardar Jadhav
Shivani Mathur
Rani Rekha
Prakash Nayak
NikkiSingh Ureti
Ashok Roy
Art Extract: : Traditional Art
Traditional art is defined as a kind of an art that is a part of a culture of a particular group of people, skills and knowledge, usually passed down through generations from the master craftsmen to learners. Traditional art includes anything that you do with your hands such as painting, printmaking and sculpture among others. In addition, as opposed to fine art which is based more on aesthetics, traditional art is more decorative and utilitarian. Some may also find it rudimentary in technique as the sophisticated methods of modern art are not employed here. Also, unlike fine art, the symbols and motifs used in traditional art have a deep rooted meaning, often the materials used to create this art are also held in high regard by the community. Traditional art by definition is limited and specific to a particular culture, ethnicity and its traditions, thus it is not possible to categorize it or define it in terms that are beyond broad generalizations.
Madhubani paintings are renowned worldwide as one of the prime forms of traditional art in India. In this exhibition we bring you the varied styles and colours of this ancient art form. Thus, the Fish is typical of the 'tattoo' form of Madhubani while the Shiv Parvati painting shows the figurative skills of the artist. The paintings also showcase the various rituals and religious motifs associated with the beliefs and culture of the artists - these include the sun, fish, elephant, peacock, tree and tortoise, each of which is particularly relevant in the ethos of these simple people.
