Patachittra Painting from West Bengal

Colourful, bold and bright, Pattachittra is a narrative art tradition from West Bengal which combines visual art ( the scrolls ) with performance art - the artist or another person sings out a song which accompanies each narrative. Believe me when I say that it is quite an experience ...... the singer has only his/her voice .. no musical instrument and as the scroll is unrolled, the voice soars and dips as the story unfolds ....amazing performance !!

Scroll on HIV AIDS

Scroll on the 2006 Tsunami

Mantu Chitrakar singing out a scroll

Eye Candy - Kalighat Painting by Kalam Patua

The Hypocrite
Tiger -Woman

From the eastern shores of India, Kalighat painting - an art style that is not steeped in tradition and antiquity but a rather recent one - for more information read
http://www.craftrevival.org/CraftArtDetails.asp?CountryCode=INDIA&CraftCode=003674

FOLK ART FRIDAY TO FRIDAY

I am very happy to report that in collaboration with Full Circle Cafe Turtle, we have organised the first of its kind folk art show in a cafe !! Yup - so while you are sipping your cup of Darjeeling Chai or coffee latte or savouring a slice of their yummy cakes ....... you can feast your eyes on some amazing folk and tribal art

The Show is called Folk Art Friday To Friday ........ coined by yours truly and will run ( but obviously ) from Friday to Friday. The first show features Mangru Uike and is from Friday September 24 to Friday October 1 2010.

YAY !! ART FROM THE HEART GOES FAR

One of Mangru Uike's pieces has found a home in Canada - so happy that this art is finding good homes !! Thanks V.

Pradyumna Kumar #4

Pradyumna Kumar specialises in nature studies - I call him the Tree Man because his trees are very detailed and beautiful. This is an intricate work - the photograph does not do justice to the fine lines inspired by Kayasth Madhubani traditions wherein black and white lines predominate. One of my favourite pieces, this imaginary plant with its sinuous lines is simply superb.

Pradyumna Kumar # 3

Pradyumna Kumar's Madhubani paintings uses a lot of the stylistic devices of the tradition. here he has used paper specially treated with a cowdung paste which mimics the earthern walls of the traditional homes. Snakes are a symbol of fertility and prosperity and are very popular as motifs in Madhubani art. This work depicts the snakes in the form of an auspicious aripana or floor painting, a mandala of sorts.

Pradyumna Kumar # 2

As a Madhubani artist, Pradyumna Kumar specializes in unusual subjects. Not for him the oft-repeated motifs and stories. This is a particularly poignant painting inspired by the Hindu epic Ramayana where the good king Rama battles the evil king Ravana who has abducted Queen Sita. In this picture Mandadori, the wife of Ravana picks up his head from the battle-field after he has been defeated by Rama - Ravana had ten heads and could not be easily vanquished. For the world he may be a villain but for Mandadori, he is her beloved husband !! Such is the subjectivity of life !!

Pradyumna Kumar Madhubani Art # 1

Pradyumna Kumar is an award-winning Madhubani artist from India. His story is an unusual one - he was a land surveyor with no training in art till a surgery forced him to give up his job. Recuperating at home, he began to draw and paint, inspired by his wife and her family which boasts of legendary Madhubani artists Mahasundari Devi and Pushpa Kumari. He brings to Madhubani art his map-making experiences and new refreshing spatial configurations.

Madhubani art is from the north Indian state of Bihar and was traditionally a private ritual art created by women in the Mithila region. Therefore it is also known as Mithila Art. Traditionally these art works were created on the walls of the home during marriages and other ceremonies. In 1969, after a drought in the region, the government began encouraging the women to draw on paper with a view to sell these works and raise money for them. Today, both men and women paint and Madhubani art is one of India's most popular folk art forms.
Here Pradyumna has shown a pair of playful animals testing out their strength! Nature is indicated in the branch and clump of grass, signifying a pastoral setting !!

# 5 MANGRU UIKEY

Mangru Uikey is an upcoming Gond artist from central India. The Gonds are one of the largest and oldest tribes living in India. Gond Art has many images drawn from Nature - a world where birds and beasts, insects and snakes reign supreme.
A bird dreaming ...................one of the most unusual pictures I have ever encountered in my decade of working with folk art.

# 4 MANGRU UIKEY

Mangru Uikey is an upcoming Gond artist from central India. The Gonds are one of the largest and oldest tribes living in India. Gond Art has many images drawn from Nature - a world where birds and beasts, insects and snakes reign supreme.
A beautiful and soulful elephant ......one of my favorite creature this gentle giant. I was fortunate to grow up with elephants in Assam.

# 3 MANGRU UIKEY

Mangru Uikey is an upcoming Gond artist from central India. The Gonds are one of the largest and oldest tribes living in India. Gond Art has many images drawn from Nature - a world where birds and beasts, insects and snakes reign supreme.

A beautiful and colourful Tree of Life .......love the birds in motion instead of placidly sitting there!!

# 2 MANGRU UIKEY

Mangru Uikey is an upcoming Gond artist from central India. The Gonds are one of the largest and oldest tribes living in India. Gond Art has many images drawn from Nature - a world where birds and beasts, insects and snakes reign supreme.
The snake is a god for the Gonds and are believed to support the Earth. Here, there is also the idea of all life being one - the snake and the tree are one. Very fine dots have been used to fill the spaces and the lines are delicate.

# 1 MANGRU UIKEY

Mangru Uikey is an upcoming Gond artist from central India. The Gonds are one of the largest and oldest tribes living in India. Gond Art has many images drawn from Nature - a world where birds and beasts, insects and snakes reign supreme.
This fantastical image shows a stork dipping an oxen in water !!