Warli Painting www.craftcanvas.com
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Table of Contents • About Us • Introduction • Mythology • Material Used • Motifs • Contemporary Adaptations • Additional References • Image Source
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About Us CraftCanvas is a link between rural artisan communities and the urban customer, translating an ages old craft into something that is relevant today. It is based on the idea of contemporizing Indian Handicrafts through a common platform and canvas where stake holders of the craft community like artisans, designers, craft practitioners, etc can come together to create unique products and experiences suited to modern day living. India has a rich handicraft heritage and we owe this to generations of artisans who have blended tradition, religion, social norms and functionality to bring craft where it is today. However, there has been a significant shift in sensibilities of present-day craft patrons thereby highlighting a need for Handicrafts to adapt to these changes. We believe that there is a place for India’s traditional crafts even in the most modern of spaces and this process of evolution is what CraftCanvas facilitates. Handicraft patrons like you can express your requirements ranging from wall murals, soft furnishings, paintings, furniture and lighting among many others. Our team will assist you in transforming their ideas and aesthetic preferences to final products with a high level of artistry. On the other end, we are constantly forming collaborations between the craft and design community through which an interesting blend of experiences and products are developed. Working with designers, traditional artisans are trained to adapt to this new design scenario. For designers, it gives them an opportunity to create solutions that embody the essence of the craft. Subsequently, these innovations are marketed by CraftCanvas through channels like online store, workshops, exhibitions etc. Please feel free to browse through our site for specific information on our various initiatives and we look forward to welcoming you to our world of crafts.
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Introduction
Warli painting done on the wall of Sanskriti Kendra Museum, New Delhi
Warli painting is a tribal art mostly done by Adivasi from North Sahyadri Range in India (Dahanu, Talasari, Jawhar, Palghar, Mokhada, and Vikramgadh). The Warlis speak an unwritten Varli language, classified as Konkani, with some degree of influence from Gujarati. They express themselves in vivid styles through paintings which they execute on the walls of their house. This was the only means of transmitting folklore to a populace not acquainted with the written word. Warli paintings were mainly done by the women folk. The most important aspect of the painting is that it does not depict mythological characters or images of deities, but depict social life.
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Mythology
Very early records of warli painting
While there are no records of the exact origins of this art, its roots may be traced to as early as the 10th century AD. Research suggests that the tribals are the propagators of a tradition which originated sometime in the Neolithic period between 2,500 BC and 3,000 BC. This art carries on the tradition. Their mural paintings are similar to those done between 5000 and 10 000 BC in the Rock Shelters of Bhimbetka, in Madhya Pradesh.
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Materials Used
Hand done warli painting
Wooden block of warli motif
Traditionally Warli painting was done on walls. The walls are made of a mixture of branches, earth and cow dung, making a Red Ochre background for the wall paintings. The Warli use only white for their paintings. Their white pigment is a mixture of rice paste and water with gum as a binding agent. They use a bamboo stick chewed at the end to make it as supple as a paintbrush. Now a days its done on various mediums. Warli block printing and graphic printing is also done on various surfaces.
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Motifs
Warli Motifs
The tribal values such as the sense of uniformity, the close social interactions with nature and the spirits is what makes the tribal community who they are. Their extremely rudimentary wall paintings use a very basic graphic vocabulary: a circle, a triangle and a square. Their paintings were monosyllabic. The circle and triangle come from their observation of nature, the circle representing the sun and the moon, the triangle derived from mountains and pointed trees. Only the square seems to be a different logic and seem a human invention, indicating a sacred enclosure or a piece of land. So the central motive in each ritual painting is the square, known as the "chauk" or "chaukat", mostly of two types: Devchauk and Lagnachauk. Inside a Devchauk, we find Palaghata, the mother goddess, symbolizing fertility. This paintings often include a horse used by the bride and groom.
The central motif in these ritual paintings is surrounded by scenes portraying hunting, dancing, sowing and harvesting, wedding scenes, various animals, birds, trees, men, women, children, dancing peacocks, and many more. One of the central striking aspect of many warli paintings is the "Tarpa dance"the tarpa, a trumpet like instrument, is played in turns by different men. Men and women entwine their hands and move in a circle around the tarpa player. The dancers follow the tarpa player, turning and moving as he turns, never turning their back to the tarpa. The circular formation of the dancers is also thought to resemble the circle of life. www.craftcanvas.com
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Contemporary Adaptations
Warli painting done on the walls of Ahmedabad Haat by CraftCanvas
Warli painting done on the coffee table by Baaya Designs.
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Additional References
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warli • http://www.warli.in/ • http://www.archive.india.gov.in/knowindia/culture_heritage.php?id=105 Image Source • • • • • • •
http://lalibrairiedutramway.com/category/actualites/page/4/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7-oXXWJnHY http://www.rupestre.net/tracce/?p=3585 http://www.bradshawfoundation.com/india/pachmarhi/ http://ruralpleasure.com/event.php https://www.etsy.com/listing/207191324/textile-stamp-pottery-stamp-indianwood
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