MANTU CHITRAKAR'S TIGER CHAUKAS

Mantu Chitrakar is no doubt an accomplished scroll painter having just won the Award for Excellence from the World Crafts Council ...but from the first time I saw his work, his tiger chaukas have been  one of his strengths. In earlier times, the scrolls were never sold as they would be used by the patua as he travelled from one village to the other, singing out the scroll song. Once the scroll got old and damaged, it was put to rest in a pool of water or a river, the songs and beautiful drawings erased forever, returned to the Original Maker, the Original Singer, the Spirit that animates the whole world. The patua artists however did make some images for sale - these were the square chaukas which were typically single image paintings of Gods and Goddesses. Mantu made the chauka format his own drawing the most powerful and beautiful tiger images. Always the tiger seems to be barely restrained by the material, so animated and dynamic as though it is going to jump right out ..enjoy these tiger chaukas by Mantu.

 And don't forget, Bengal was once home to thousands of tigers - no wonder it is called the Royal Bengal Tiger ...

Mantu Chitrakar wins an award

So so pleased to announce that Mantu Chitrakar, one of the artists I have promoted for the last 15 years has just won the Award of Excellence for 2014 from the World Crafts Council Asia Pacific Region. Mantu is a wonderful scroll painter from West Bengal and a great singer too, often composing songs for the scrolls he makes on contemporary topics such as female foeticide and terrorism. Thanks to the work we do to promote traditional artists, his works are now part of the permanent collection in prominent museums such as National Museums, Liverpool, the American Visionary Art Museum and the US Library of Congress. 

Mantu worked in my home on the last few panels of a magnificent patachitra he submitted to the World Crafts Council. This scroll is based  on the Santhal story of origin and I helped him by writing about it. I got a chance to click some pictures while he was working ...so take a look at an award winning scroll. 

Outsider /Visionary Art

Teju Behn, Fashion

Soni Jogi, Washing


Somi Jogi , Krishna

Outsider or visionary art the way I see it is art that is self-taught and in the case of India, outside of any established tradition. Visionary Art in some context is seen as art made by people with psychological issues who have found expression for their inner landscape in the art-work they do. In India, the Jogi family from Ahmedabad does what I call "Outsider Art", their lack of education no bar to the felicity with which they yield pen and colour. The father Ganesh Jogi, the mother Teju Behn, the sons Govind and Prakash, the daughters Somi and Sangita and of late, the daughter-in-laws, Soni , Govind's wife and Kanta, Prakash's wife -- all draw and paint, in styles that are quite different. My story on them made it to the cover story of the Folk Art Messenger magazine in USA which is published by the Folk Art Society of America http://http//www.folkart.org/mag/ganesh-jogi-teju-ben

Enjoy their art !!

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

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.

# 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 !!