Presented
ARTIUREQA OCTOBER 2020 VOL.1 ISSUE.2
ARTIUREQA / OCTOBER 2020
EDITORIAL
SAMUEL JAYCHANDRAN President, Editorial ATREYEE BHATTACHARJEE Editor & Curator Director, director.fovac@gmail.com SUKALYAN DUTTA Deputy Editor Vice President
ARTIUREQA Vol. 1 Issue2 OCTOBER 2020
PATANJALI BHATI Sub EDitor Sub Editor NILANJAN GHOSH Chief Creative NANDINI SARKAR Associate Curator
Cover Artist BIPIN CHANDRA RAMESHBHAI PATEL Contributors MARTIN A BRADLEY, DEBARSHI GHOSH, DIVYA PATWA, NANDINI SARKAR, JAIPRAKASH CHOUHAN, SUNAINA MAGAN, KANDULLA PRADEEP KUMAR,KAJAL GAITONDE, SANJANA REDDY, PATANJALI BHATI, PRANABESH MANDAL, ATREYEE BHATTACHARJEE. Artist Of The Issue SUJIET PODER
Marketing Foundation Of Visual Art & Culture cfovac@gmail.com
Website Foundation of Visual Art & Culture http://sites.google.com/view/fovacwebsite For Subscriptions Contact Below 10, Jagagevanraman Street,Chitalapakkam Main Road, 2nd Floor, Chennai: 64 Phone: +91 9080441422 / +91 7339149001 / +91 6301971807
TIMES BULLETIN
PAGE 2
ABOUT FOVAC FOVAC : FOUNDATION OF VISUAL ART & CULTURE is glad to present its sincere initiative to extend its reach by selecting enthusiastic and gifted artists from all over India who are committed to manifest their innovations at every opportunity.The foundation is based at Chennai and is committed to conduct numbers of creative activities throughout the year. The vision of the foundation is different from the mainstream market-driven stance that prevails today. FOVAC does not believe in judging art only from a materialistic point of view; rather it pledges to support individual talents to encourage and enhance their creativity. It dreams to reshape the commercial idea for art and promises an aesthetically valued platform to increase the awareness and perception of art among people.The restoration of Indian Classical art practice and simultaneously understanding the modern form of art are two goals for the foundation which it aspires to achieve by establishing a communicable bridge to mend the gaps between these two art forms. FOVAC also supports talents and promotes them through an impartial platform providing best commercial values.The honest and professional initiative by FOVAC is expecting skyhigh achievements to fulfill its dream and also to perform numerous projects in near future to make Chennai as the CITY OF ART in time to come. We know that our strength lies not only in the words we enunciate, but most importantly through the actions of our initiatives. Back in 2019, we realized that by working together we could overcome our challenges much more efficiently, and that is why we ultimately decided to launch FOVAC : FOUNDATION OF VISUAL ART & CULTURE. We are achieving more with our initiatives than ever before. We work on many exciting projects to help improve the lives of others, and are very proud of the progress we continue to make. Learn more about what we do, whom we help, and how we work every day to promote positive change.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 3
EDITORIAL NOTE BY ATREYEE BHATTACHARJEE ARTIUREQA is an impartial platform for talented emerging artists, who representing from all around the India and also from world. We promote genuine artists from different background and their thoughts, experiences in our pages. In contemporary art world there are a serious lack of honest promotional space for young emerging artists where their abilities are judged by number of Awards, Achievements, Recommendations etc.Our organisation commits to promote genuine creativities in these pages forever.The platform mostly open for all young generation artists to share their ideas here. The Magazine is going to represent a set of volumes on Folk Art & Culture of India along with contemporary art infulenced and experimenting with folk. This is our second issue, will be continued onwards. At the time of deciding the topic of the issue and discussed the subject with editorial and team members, I have received multiple creative suggestions. At a same time few suggestions were indicating togather to one word, it is "FOLK". Folk is one of subdivisions of art which amalgamate with visual art, music, dance, philosophy of human life and rural stories and aesthetics. It covers several dynamic forms of visual art made in the context of folk culture. Definitions vary, but generally the objects have practical utility of some kind, rather than being exclusively decorative. In the first issue of Artiureqa we started with folk art because it connects us with root of living life, culture and myth.It is very colourful subject in history of human origin and actually convenient because this magazine dedicated to promote original experiences and expressions of Art & Artists together.Our second edition we are continuing from the outline about Indian Folk Art Forms & Philosophy.The continuation of the topic will reflect upcoming issues till we cover maximum varities of folk art.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 4
INDEX: PAGE 8..... COVER ARTIST BIPIN PATEL PAGE 9 - 14..... KANAK CHANPA CHAKMA: REINVIGORATING BANGLADESH MODERNISM BY MARTIN A BRADLEY PAGE 15 - 20..... WEAVING DREAMS - THE MASLAND OF BENGAL BY DEBARSHI GHOSH
PAGE 21 - 24..... MOLELA TERRACOTTA BY DIVYA PATWA PAGE 25 - 30..... SIMILARITIES IN TRADITIONAL MASKS OF BENGAL AND JAPAN BY NANDINI SARKAR PAGE 31 - 34 FOLK CULTURE OF MALWA - 'SANJA PARVA' A TRADITION BY JAIPRAKASH CHOUHAN
PAGE 35 - 38..... MADHUBANI RAMAYANA...AN EPIC OF THOUSAND LINES BY SUNAINA MAGAN PAGE 39 - 42.... FOLK SONGS CULTURE IN NORTH ANDHRA BY KANDULLA PRADEEP KUMAR PAGE 43 - 44..... FROM KAJAL GAITONDE’S DESK- AN ARTICLE ON FOLK SERIES PAGE 45 - 5O..... FROM KALAMKARI TO CHINTZ AND BACK BY SANJANA REDDY PAGE 51 - 56..... HEALING; THE ART OF REPAIR - AN EKPHRASIS BY PATANJALI BHATI PAGE 57 - 60..... BEFORE FOLK ART BY PRANABESH MONDAL
PAGE 61 - 68.... BIDRI; A FOLK TRADITION SINCE CENTURIES BY ATREYEE BHATTACHARJEE PAGE 69..... ARTIST OF THE ISSUE PRESENTING SUJIET PODAR PAGE 70..... BACK COVER ANCIENT CHINTZ TEXTILE PHOTOGRAPH
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 5
INTRODUCING AUTHORS.....
MARTIN A BRADLEY Author; Art Writer and Chief Editor/Founder of the Asian Arts and Culture e-magazine The Blue Lotus. Great Britain
DIVYA PATWA Visual Artist & Author Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh
JAIPRAKASH CHOUHAN Painter & Author Madhya Pradesh
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
DEBARSHI GHOSH Author & Anchor All India Radio, Akashvani, Prasar Bharati, Kolkata, West Bengal
NANDINI SARKAR Painter, Curator & Author Delhi
SUNAINA MAGANN Founder At Vernssage Art Gallery, Curator, Author Noida, New Delhi PAGE 6
INTRODUCING AUTHORS.....
KANDULLA PRADIP KUMAR Visual Artist & Author Andhra Pradesh
KAJAL GAITONDE Visual Artist & Curator Mumbai, Maharashtra
SANJANA REDDY Author & Curator Hyderabad, Telengana
PATANJALI BHATI Artist, Author & Curator Himachal Pradesh
PRANABESH MONDAL Sculptor & Author Kolkata, West Bengal
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
ATREYEE BHATTACHARJEE Artist, Curator, Professor Director at FOAVC Chennai, Tamil Nadu PAGE 7
MADNIKA
WATER COLOUR ON PAPER COVER BY ARTIST BIPIN PATEL
BIPINCHANDRA RAMESHBHAI PATEL WATERCOLOUR ARTIST INDIA'S WORLD RECORD AWARDED Mahisagar Dist, Gujarat Artiureqa is introducing artist Bipin Chandra Patel, an expert watercolour artist who has been awarded to India's World Record Holder in watercolour medium. Mr Bipin Patel has completed his degree course from R. T. Fine Arts College act 2008 In watercolour medium, and masters degree from MSU Baroda in 2010. He had 23 solo shows national and international several awards and achievements during his journey. He was awarded by UNESCO several times and also by the state government and also by the national government several times. He's watercolor painting gives a pleasant experience of boldness in confident brushing and diverse technique. This is the mean characteristic of his work which will navigate new painters in upcoming future. In his book, “ Wet Strokes”, The state-by-state demonstration of watercolour and how landscapes are developed, will be a new guide for the emerging learners. “Bipin is an accomplished water colour painter with a unique style which is bold and impressionist. In his work one can always find a strong statement of colour and tone which is a key element of his composition. Flawless rendering and compositional strength along with spontaneous and expressive brush work make his work stand out. He is definitely one of the masters of watercolour” said by Eminent Artist Milind Mallick. Bipin Patel is one of the most promising Indian watercolor artists who constantly catches the fancy of art lovers by virtue of his comment on various departments of watercolor technique. He has matured into a stylish watercolor technique, and committed to the regular outdoor painting sessions and practised over the last several years. In Artiureqa, we are representing one of his unique paintings, Madanika, on the cover page and thanking the artist for his esteemed contribution for beautifying the page.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 8
KANAK CHANPA CHAKMA: REINVIGORATING BANGLADESH MODERNISM BY MARTIN A BRADLEY
“Art transports us from the world of man’s activity to a world of aesthetic exaltation. For a moment we are shut off from human interests; our anticipations and memories are arrested ; we are lifted above the stream of life.” Clive Bell, p25, in The Aesthetic Hypothesis, Art, Frederick A. Stokes Company, 1914.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 9
I was fortunate. During my short sojourn in Dhaka (between February and March 2019), I was fated to meet with Kanak Chanpa Chakma on a number of occasions. This eventuated in me being invited to her studio for a delicious homemade lunch and to see her stunning artworks in varying stages of growth. This gave me a slight glimpse into the life and art of this accomplished Bangladesh artist. While heeding the advice from a renowned Dhaka writer not to reference outside of the culture, in this instance there is no denying the need to mention the influence of Paul Gauguin’s powerful, original, colouration and simplicity of line on the works of Kanak Chanpa Chakma. The artist, herself would be the first to admit to her fascination with what Roger Fry had determined as the ‘Post Impressionism’ of Eugène Henri Paul Gauguin (1848 - 1903), as had Syed Manzoorul Islam, writing for Kanak Champa (The Sights and Sounds of Kanak Chanpa’s World), in ‘Kanak Chanpa Chakma’, published by Duncan Brothers, in Dhaka, 2005. In the last years of the 19th Century, Gauguin and others had been seeking fresh ways to look at art, painting especially. In ‘Ivory Apes and Peacocks’ (Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1915), James Huneker (writing about Paul Gauguin) mentioned that ‘He was weary of a Paris where everything had been painted, described, modelled, so he sailed for Tahiti, landing at Papeete.” In 1891 Gauguin, travelled to Tahiti, then to the Marquises archipelago, to satisfy his curiosity for ‘the primitive’, a life unspoiled by its brush with European ‘civilisation’. He was disappointed. Modern life had reached there first. In 1901 Gauguin had to travel deeper into those, and adjacent, isles to find a fresh way of looking at this art. Before his return to the Pacific isles, Gauguin had written “Think also of the musical role colour will henceforth play in modern painting. Colour, which is vibration just as music is, is able to attain what is most universal yet at the same time most elusive in nature: its inner force.” (Paul Gauguin, Letter to Fontainas, 1899). Gauguin’s ‘inner force’ of colour has echoed through the ages, influencing other artists such as Wassilly Kandinsky (1866 - 1944), renown for his own colour theories. Before his untimely death (in Atuona, Hiva Oa, the Marquesas Islands, in French Polynesia, 8th of May 1903), in 1897 Gauguin had painted a large canvas, ‘D'où Venons Nous Que Sommes Nous Où Allons Nous’ (‘Where Do We Come From? What Are We? Where Are We Going?’) spanning some 139 cm × 375 cm (or 55 in × 148 in). That large painting has been highly influential on the works of other artists, and one can only imagine how influential this might have been for Kanak Chanpa Chakma with her use of dynamic colours. Her work can be seen to reinvigorate the idea of a Bangladesh ‘Modernism’, while looking back to Gauguin as well as examining her ethnic Chakma roots through pictorial forms originating from her studies of Gauguin’s work. Kanak Chanpa is no outsider looking in. She is no middle class European filled with romantically poetic notions of the ‘Primitive’ (as was Gauguin), but an artist who concerns herself with the plight, history and culture of her people - the Chakma ethnic tribe, who represent the largest of the 45 ethnic minority communities in Bangladesh.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 10
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 11
Kanak Chanpa (Chakma) however, is not the first female artist to have brought touches of ‘School of Paris' to the Indian subcontinent. The briefly lived Amrita Sher-Gil (1913 - 41), wallowing in Parisian bohemia, responded to Gauguin’s paintings of the women in Tahiti by painting a ‘Self-Portrait as a Tahitian’ (1934), in which she sensually appears with a hint of wildness and ‘primitiveness’ in her self-portrait. It is claimed that the half Indian, half Hungarian Amrita Sher-Gil had introduced Modern Art, and thus also knowledge of Paul Gauguin and his style, into India. That is where she returned in 1935 settling for a while in Saraya, a village in India’s Gorakhpur district. She died later in Lahore, now part of Pakistan. Kanak Chanpa’s own response to Gauguin was not that of Sher-Gil. Kanak Chanpa has not adopted an adversarial position towards Gauguin nor, necessarily, has attempted to subvert the male ‘gaze’, supplanting that with another, an opposing a ‘feminist’ one. Instead Kanak Chanpa imbues her artworks (of tribes people) with the sort of honestly only one uniquely familiar with their culture can portray. Kanak Chanpa, in her choice to channel Gauguin, differs from that of Sher-Gil. Kanak Chanpa uses Gauguin to reveal the indigene while presenting, and representing, a mystic ‘otherness’ in her choice of neo-Symbolist imagery. Thus Kanak Chanpa demonstrates her unique intimacy with her subject, her mastery over the mediums she chooses and her acuteness in presenting both to a beguiled audience. K.G.Subramanyan (in his talk for the 4th Ravishanker Rawal Memorial lecture, on Art & The Matter of Identity, 2007) suggested that…. “…visual art today functions in an indefinite location. Although an artist puts a lot of planning and effort into making an art object, the viewer is relatively a stranger to its message. Even the qualities of its image, in the absence of a common cultural background or the instabilities within the one that is. So in today's world art is becoming more of a commodity and less of a communication, for all the fan-fare and publicity that accompanies the launch or the opening of an exhibition.” Observing Kanak Chanpa’s early paintings, such as ‘Way of Peace’ (1998), you may be forgiven for assuming there might be a fondness for a symbolism closer to home - that of India’s Abanindranath Tagore (1871-1951). He was a pioneer of the ‘Bengal School of Art’ and that ‘renaissance’ Indian Rabindranath Tagor’s nephew. Abanindranath Tagore’s evocative Symbolist paintings such as the ‘Untitled’ watercolour (aka Maiden) created in the 1920s, or his ‘pastel on board with oil’ portrait of his grandson, ‘Mohanlal Ganguly’ (1926), resonate with the more ‘romantic’ aspects of European Symbolism woven into aspects of ‘traditional’ Indian painting. If you consider Abanindranath Tagore’s work to have some influence over Kanak Chanpa’s own, you would be incorrect. Kanak Chanpa’s pictorial ‘task’, as it were, is to wrestle with Subramanyan’s negative imaginings concerning ‘Modernism’ by bringing alive the naturalness of the Chakma (and other) tribal indigenes without resorting to overdue romanticism, which European Symbolism has a leaning towards, while preserving all the indigenous mystique of her subject matter. It is to her credit that Kanak Chanpa does this successfully, allowing her audience to see what she sees, at least at one remove, with all the beauty and intrinsic spiritualism of the tribal peoples. This is achieved through her astute choices of colour, form, composition and a textuality which adds physical and psychological depths to her canvases.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 12
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 13
Though still in tune with a revitalised Gauguin, Kanak Chanpa has moved on to use impasto and scraping techniques for her canvas’ physical depth, alluring and beguiling her audience(s). She frequently exhibits heightened colour choices, more in tune with ‘The Fauves’ (‘les fauves’ or the wild beasts, 1905 to 1910) who came after Gauguin, with distinct suggestions of a dynamic use of ‘Expressionism’. In her home studio I had seen works which varied from a predominantly duo-tone. canvas (roseate and blue) to another where a green had been pushed back so as not to challenge the power of the blue and the female figure before it. I also witnessed a long canvas, worked with yellow which edged towards the golden, where five figures dominated the foreground, and yet another two figures which shared the mid and background. Delicate introductions of red and white, duo-tones of grey-brown only sought to emphasise that gold/yellow, demonstrating the artist’s familiarity with colour theory. But there again, and naturally as an artist, her work is unique. When I look at my attempts to ‘situate’ Kanak Chanpa within the framework of Modernist painting, I inevitably fail. I fail because all such attempts must remain futile. No such direct comparisons could possibly exit. I may cite Gauguin, Post-Impressionism, Symbolism, Fauvism and Expressionism only to eventuate in realising that any such combination of styles and forms only highlights the originality of Kanak Chanpa's work. I use Abanindranath Tagore and Amrita Sher-Gil to ‘localise’ possible stylistic influences, demonstrating that the Indian subcontinent too has produced artists of note in similar vein. Ones who had worked towards an Asian Modernism. Kanak Chanpa, I have to confess, is an original. In her approach to her art, in her approach to her subject matter and in her choices of revelation, or obturation, she excels in rendering her own narrative and the stories of those frequently marginalised by a mainstream society.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 14
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 15
WEAVING DREAMS - THE MASLAND OF BENGAL BY
DEBARSHI GHOSH
Remember the iconic scene from Satyajit Ray's "Charulata" where Charu and Amal are in the garden? Charu, on a swing, is humming the song - "Fule Fule Dhole Dhole..." and Amal is lying on a mat. Beautiful scene indeed; but amidst this beauty all around, did you look carefully enough at the mat? It was unfurled in the previous scene to give us the opportunity to feel its exquisiteness. With the gorgeous central motif of a peacock among other designs, what a magnificent piece of creation it was! Similar to its surrounding, it too was radiant with beauty, enhancing the aesthetic value manyfold. Mat or "Madur" is a very familiar household object that we all can relate to. Be it enjoying sweet sunshine on a chilly winter morning or bathing in moonlight on the roof on a full moon night, mat has been an integral part of our daily domestic life; but this commonplace object can also be a work of pure art if fallen into the right hands. Here comes the "Masland" (or "Matranchi") of Bengal - the finest mat in terms of quality, design, making and creative skill. Similar to other natural-fibre mats, Masland is also woven from a soft, grass-like reed called "Madurkathi", but only with the best quality reeds. This rhizome-based plant grows abundantly in the alluvial tracts of East and West Midnapore districts of West Bengal. Hence this craft too is predominantly practised in this region. It is not defined when exactly masland came into existence, but according to many art historians it dates back to the Muslim era. During the Nawabi period, maslands were collected as revenues under the Jaigirdari system. It is believed that in 1744, Nawab Alibardi Khan issued a charter in this regard. So at that time Maslands were produced and promoted under royal patronage and considered as a valued possession. At that time Kasijora and Narajol in Midnapore were two most important centres of Masland-weaving. Today Sabang in West Midnapore and Ramnagar in East Midnapore are the most prominent Masland-hubs.There are several theories behind the etymology of Masland as well. In some experts' opinion as it was extremely fine and lightweight, a parallel was drawn to another once-famous treasure of Bengal - Maslin Saree. Whatever be the reason for its name, its superfine texture, larger numbers of warp threads per inch, intricate weaving technique, utmost precision and elaborate design make it a class apart. However, behind the astonishing finished product, lies a long, laborious and painstaking process of weaving. At least two persons are required to weave a Masland. One person places the reeds from left to right, alternately laying one thread on top and the next underneath. The second person repeats this from right to left. When they reach the edge, the threads are turned and the process is continued. Maslands are traditionally coloured with natural or vegetable dyes only. Black and Maroon are the two main colours. Black dye is produced using Haritaki fruits or fruits and barks of Babla tree. Maroon is obtained from a locally grown tree called Rangchika gachh or Rang gachh (Colour tree). However, nowadays chemical dyes are also used to get a varied palette of colours.The most common designs and motifs are - flowers, mouchak (honeycomb), barfi (rhomboidal), jharna (cascades) etc.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 16
Sometimes the Masland works as a storytelling mat as well. A whole mythological story (for e.g. Swayambar of Draupadi) or a social picture (for e.g. Hunting and cooking by tribals) is depicted on a single piece of Masland.There are several Masland-artists in our state who got national awards. 40 years ago, in 1980, Pushparani Jana from the village Sarta, Sabang, West Midnapore was the first to achieve this.It's a pity that this exclusive art and the artists are becoming the endangered species. Although the artists are participating in the governmentorganized art and craft fairs and with help of some NGO-s a global market for masland is emerging, more awareness and appreciation are required among ourselves, our own people. Then only we can protect this unique art with sheer beauty.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 17
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 18
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 19
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 20
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 21
MOLELA TERRACOTTA BY DIVYA PATWA
ABOUT MOLELA TERRACOTTA The tradition of Molela Art started somewhat like thisThere was a blind potter who dreamed of God. Devnarayan God asked him to dig clay at a nearby place and make his idol. Next morning his vision was restored. He made the image of God in a two- dimensional plate instead of a three- dimensional sculpture. This idea of Devnarayan on a horse was the first design of this traditional art form. This Traditional Art is unique in its own way,in this art form Gods and Animals are depicted in a two- dimensional way. The figurines are hollow. This is the similarity I share with this form. Till now I have researched how they start preparing their basic material which is clay and how they start with their image. The most important and special thing about Indian tribal and folk art forms is that they have survived generations, the art style has been passed down from generation to generation and it is still alive in many parts of the country. And the beauty of these art forms is that they are untouched by modernization. And they are all very unique from each other. India has always been known as the land that portrayed cultural and traditional vibrancy through its tribal and folk art. Every state has its cultural and traditional identities which are displayed through various forms of art prevalent there. Every region in India has its own style and pattern of art. The traditional and tribal art of India are very ethnic and simple and yet colorful and vibrant enough to speak volumes about the country's rich heritage. Tribal art of India has great potential because of its traditional aesthetic sensibility and authenticity. The rural folk art of India bears distinctive colorful designs, which are treated with religious and mystical motifs. Folk art expresses cultural identity by conveying shared community values and aesthetics. Tribal people express themselves in vivid styles through their art. Tribal art is the living expressions of the village people. The theme of art works is drawn from folktales, mythology, flora and fauna. They are not mere decorations but instant expressions of their religious sentiments and devotions. The tribal folk art is sometimes also based on local Indian festivals. Horses, Elephants, Tigers, Birds, Gods, Men and objects of daily life can be seen in bright and multicolored hues. These art forms have significance in tribal people’s lives and executing these art works in their homes brings peace, prosperity and happiness. What is even more interesting is that there is never an attempt to imitate nature. A horse or a bull which might be a vision of a god impresses him with only one central quality. This central quality is worked upon and given a form. India is marked by its rich traditional heritage of Tribal/Folk Arts and Culture. Since the days of remote past the diversified art and cultural forms generated by the tribal and rural people of India, have continued to evince their creative magnificence. The tribal and folk art have rich heritage. Without tribal and folk art, there is no identity of culture in human life as well as occasion will be incomplete. Folk and tribal art give aesthetic feelings and remind us about the native life through their colorful artworks.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 22
Further commercialization of these artworks creates a new source of non-agricultural income as these have achieved eminence in the national and international market. Due to the growing demands of the crafts internationally, different organizations encourage the artists to produce their art for commercial sale, the Government of India supporting the genuine artist directly by arranging various exhibitions, skill oriented trainings, organizing and inviting artists to market events and providing incentives and awards to artists for their work. Problem faced by the artisans:The artisans have been facing problems and impediments in the development of their occupation. Consequently they face struggle in their subsistence. The major problem faced by the artists of tribal and folk is no assurance of regular sales from direct customers or even orders from the traders. They have to depend on the local middle men or promoters for the sale of their products. Sometimes there is lack of communication among the artists as well as buyers as a result their vulnerability is exploited by the trade intermediates. Lack of proper working space and luminosity in the houses of tribal artists is found to be another problem associated with the making of their art.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 23
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 24
SIMILARITIES IN TRADITIONAL MASKS OF BENGAL AND JAPAN BY NANDINI SARKAR
Mask has its own mysterious history. It varies from country to country ; region to region. I have seen many similarities in the designs ,shapes ,forms and usage. So here I am talking about six different types of masks from West Bengal and Japan respectively. The wearing of these masks is connected with early types of folklore and religion. There are various types of masks made up of clay, wood, sponge wood or shola, pith, paper, metal etc. CHHAU MASK- Traditionally, the chhau dance held in the mid march when one agricultural circle ends and a new circle begins..Purulia chhau dancers wear the earthy and theatrical mask which represent the mythological characters. After making the shape of the mask with clay, it is colored and decorated with Shola and other things. DOKRA MASK- It is a unique folk art of West Bengal. Metal casting dokra masks have created various contemporary sculptures with this art form. Gita Karmakar, a female artist from Bankura has been awarded the President’s award. GOMIRA MASK- Gomira mask is a part of Gomira dance which originated in North and South Dinajpur of West Bengal. . The Gomira dances are organized to propitiate the deity to usher in the good forces and drive out the evil forces. The mask dance was organised within the month of mid-April to mid-July. The wood-crafted gomira mask represents two distinct forms. The characters of two distinct forms of dance are the Gomira and the Ram-Vanwas. The scary masks of the Gamira are made from the wood of the Gamar tree. Holes are made under the eyes of the mask for the wearer to see. GAMBHIRA MASK- The Gambhira dance is performed all over the Malda district of North Bengal during the festival of Chaitra Sankranti. The masks are made out of neem and fig trees by the local Sutradhar community. Sometimes they also made the mask of clay. The three-dimensional crowns are the specialty of these masks. SHOLA MASK- Durga face is a well known shola mask of Murshidabad. It's mainly used for the decorate status. For making these masks, shola is pulled from water and dried. Then it is cut with the knife according to the design. The most attractive fact, Murshidabad is recognized for the shola work. RABANKATA MASK- Rabankata mask dance is performed during Durga Puja in Bishnupur of Bankura district. The theme is the victory of good over the evil where Goddess Durga stands for the good that destroys the evil Ravana. It is an old mask dance which started between 1626 and 1656 B.C. Six masks are used in the dance where the first four are used directly in the dance and the other two are absolutely ritualistic.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 25
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 26
HANNYA MASK- These are used in Noh theater, representing female demons. They are portrayed as a female with much jealousy and hatred with long horns, sharp teeth, and distorted eyes. Hannya masks at a glance seem to show anger and jealousy, but at the same time, if seen from a certain angle, they seem to show sadness. HYOTTOKO MASK- Hyottoko is a silly, childlike character in traditional Japanese performances with a funny facial expression on his face. His mouth is always rounded and skewed to one side. This feature was derived from a mask of Usobuki used in Kyogen (traditional Japanese comical drama), and the name Hyottoko was originated from Hyottoko, who blew fire with a bamboo pipe. NOH MASK- Noh masks have a complex design. They show different facial expressions depending on the angle from which they are viewed. They show sadness from one angle, but they also show anger from a different angle. Noh actors change directions of their bodies depending on which facial expression they should show. ONI MASK- Oni is a demon, and their masks are depicted as frightening with long sharp teeth and horns. Masks are usually painted red, but painted other colors such as blue, yellow, green, or black. Each color indicates the calamity people want to overcome. Red is greed, blue is hatred, yellow is regret, green is disease, and black is grumbling. OKAME MASK- Okame masks, sometimes called Otafuku, demonstrate a female character with a round face, small nose, and small head design. They are often referred to as a female version of Hyottoko, and both Okame and Hyottoko usually appear together. Also, Okame is known to bring good fortune. KITSUNE MASK- Kitsune is a fox. Kitsune masks are worn by participants or attendees in Shinto festivals. Foxes are historically believed to be magical creatures which can transform themselves. They are believed to appear as a messenger of Inari, or the God of rice, commerce, and prosperity. So foxes are an important figure in Shinto festivals involving the god. It is also said that the gods themselves show up as foxes.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 27
Whereas traditional Japanese masks are mostly decorative and are available for sale at shrine festivals and events. Others are worn during certain Shinto dances or by actors performing a role on the stage. Most of these masks are archetypes borrowed from myth, ancient dances.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 28
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 29
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 30
FOLK CULTURE OF MALWA - 'SANJA PARVA' A TRADITION BY JAIPRAKASH CHOUHAN
Teej-festivals can be seen as an imprint of the folk culture and a limited tradition in many places of India. Traditional arts like mural paintings, mehndi, mahawar, mundane and folk songs are still being recognized in their respective fields. In the present situation, the influence of modern resource facilities in the arts, related to folk life is visible on its originality, but still we can feel its own style here in them. Even today, in traditional painting styles, the festival of the country sides offers a unique combination of folk songs with Rangoli, Chitravana, Mandana and Sanja. In these folk arts, artists have their own joy and enthusiasm. Even urbanization has expanded today and the dung lip and mud walls in raw houses have become extinct, but still when these folk arts are seen, then the depth of folk culture in them again makes its existence really enjoyable. It seems to be a comfortable experience which also gives us the impression that they can be conserved. It is not only a place and religion-specific of the society but also a part of the soul of the art-culture of entire India; which directly teaches to love and connect with nature, humanity and this is their quality. Malwa also has many such folk arts and traditions in Madhya Pradesh in which they have their own identity and hallmark. The presence of family images and symbols along with a melody in Malvi folk life and folk paintings also designate the rites here. The aesthetic expressions of these folk arts are not as expressive and powerful as anywhere else. In the month of Bhadra Paksha in Malwa, starting from Shukla Purnima, Pitramoksha Amavasya is celebrated by young virgin girls. However, this festival is also celebrated in other areas besides Malwa such as Rajasthan, Maharashtra, Gujarat, Haryana etc. But Sanja is called and known in different names there. In Malwanchal, familiarity and association with the Malvi dialect is special. During Shraddh Paksha, Sanja Mata leaps from the cow dung on the wall and embellishes her symbolic form with cow dung very gracefully, and then decorates that shape with bright leaves, colorful petals of flowers. Girls form groups singing the folk songs of Sanja in Malvi dialect and worship, they visit each other's house. This is how younger girls celebrate this day on the Solah day. Every day has different shapes. In the call of Barkha and the pleasant arrival of Sharad, nature is fully adorned with its beauty, it seems as if Sanja-Parva is to welcome nature in her own form. Adolescent girls pray to Sanja to observe this fast and observe it for sixteen days, even though one may be associated with the folk tradition, but in another way, through its unwavering faith, boundless reverence and thus artistry express their feelings with vigor also teaches them to interact with folk lifestyles and arts.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 31
At dusk or just before dusk, dung on the wall or wooden platen at the entrance of the house is seen in square, square shapes adorned with dainty-folk art in rural areas more than the cities in Malwa. These symbols, which are formed in different shapes every day, automatically depict the lifelike depiction of the immortal shapes produced by the tender emotions of the girls, automatically turning them towards art-making. While these abstract symbolic forms reveal the liberation of independent expressions with the traditions of folk life, on the other side there is also the sweetness of Malvi dialect in the ease of folk songs. Poonam's patala on the first day, bijaura of dooj on the second day, ghevar on the third day, chaupar on the fourth day, five or five virgins on the fifth day, chabdi on the sixth day, seventh day-swastika, eighth day-athakali flowers, ninth daydokra-dokri, tenth day - ten lamps, eleventh day - the banana tree, twelfth day - the palm tree and then in thirteen days the whole fort coat is made which includes all the figures from the beginning of Poonam to Bars. Other figures with it include swastika, moon, sun, stars, palanquin, elephant, horse, camel, saptamatruka, peacock, vandanvar, saulah bindis of Saudh day of Shraadh etc. Sanja in Malwa is known by 'Sanjabai' hence these Sanjabai's bullock carts are also made in all shapes. In this folk art, the process of decorating the mural using natural ingredients and materials and then immersing them in water is also a testimony to the nature-friend of folk life. There is an interconnection of all folk arts with legends and folklore, thus 'Sanjabai' also has some folk tales as well as legends. Although only folk songs of Sanjabai are sung by girls, the story is not read. Sanjabai is considered to be the form of Mother Parvati, who by her penance found Lord Shiva. Their worship is happiness, prosperity and good luck with the wish of a worthy groom, as well as the overall ritual of a folk art tradition. Addressing Sanja as a girl, when the girls sing the song in front of Sanjabai on the wall, the material used in 'Sanjakriti' becomes a soulful description of cow dung, flowers and leaves. This emotional point of this folk songs amalgamated with Sanja festival makes many stages of life visible. In these songs, living, childhood, games, friends, adornment, separation, sorrow and happiness along with joyfulness are absorbed totally. Sanjabai's folk songs are sometimes really humorous at times. In the symbolic beauty of these murals, the combination of sun, moon, trees, plants, mountains, deities, animals, birds and human nature is present and visible in front of them during the procedure as the ingredients of nature herself. Thus, from these folk arts and traditions, we also get the message that life should be as progressive as it is incomplete without the people and their relationship with others.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 32
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 33
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 34
MADHUBANI RAMAYANA... AN EPIC OF THOUSAND LINES BY SUNAINA MAGAN
An Art show conceptualised by Sunaina Magan. Madhubani is the most celebrated Indian Art form that originally got originated during the Ramayana epic time when King Janak commissioned artists to paint his kingdom walls for his daughter Sita’s wedding. Since then the Mithila region of Bihar in India has been synonymous with Ramayana and Madhubani. Mithila is the land of spiritual discourse which gave birth to Sita, the central figure of the Hindu epic, ‘The Ramayana’. She is believed to be the daughter of the earth goddess - Bhumi and the adopted daughter of King Janaka of Videha (now known as the Mithila region in Bihar). Vernssage Art Gallery is glad to introduce an art story that denotes the ancient Indian epic poem of the struggle of the divine prince Rama to rescue his wife Sita from the demon king, Ravana. An art show of thousand lines with intricate motifs, vibrant colors and eye catching geometric patterns will take you to a pictorial journey of one of the largest ancient epics in world literature. A set of 50 paintings done by 40 Indian Madhubani artists from the Mithila region, beautifully depicts the duties of relationships that portrays characters like the ideal father, the ideal servant, the ideal brother, the ideal husband and the ideal King. So join us to embark on this epic journey. The Show will be live in Vernssage Art Gallery, New Delhi starting Oct 15th 2020.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 35
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 36
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 37
IMAGE 1- LORD RAM AND MA SITA’S WEDDING IMAGE 2- LORD RAM FREEING AHALYA FROM HER CURSE IMAGE 3- LORD RAM, SITA, AND LAKSHMAN TAKING PERMISSION FROM KING DASHRATHA AND KAUSHALYA BEFORE LEAVING FOR EXILE
IMAGE 4- LORD RAM ASKING BACK HIS WIFE SITA FROM AGNI (FIRE GOD) IMAGE 5- MA
SITA GOING INTO DHARTI
Vernssage Art Gallery WelcomHotel Dwarka Plot No 3, Sector 10 District Centre, Dwarka New Delhi – 110075 Indiawww.vernssage.com ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 38
FOLK SONGS CULTURE IN NORTH ANDHRA BY KANDULLA PRADEEP KUMAR
Every part of india has its own culture and tradition.And Telugu is the most widely -spoken Dravidian language is spoken in all Andhra and Telangana states.Particularly NorthAndhra comprises the districts of Srikakulam Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam.here pronouncing telugu such different yasa.Culture improved according to the taste of the people of this particular place. Growing up from people to short people and giving people pleasure is a pen public art London niche These people have been intertwined with human downloads since time immemorialFolklore is a group of people, hence the name Folk Art, which is a short-lived form of folk art. The two words Folk Art are used interchangeably. Here people singing and dancing using local instruments are called Desi music. A number of castes in Uttarandhra are specialized to perform different kinds of folk art forms in which literature is a vital part.singing and performing is their basic profession and some telugu folk narratives are very popular in Uttarandhra.Each community has its own style of music and tradition of songs.These folk songs also deal with philosophical, pathetic, sentimental, double meaning and political contents.Some songs used to sing various labour while working ladies used to sing some folk songs when they are in forming rice and corns etc.in all ritual festivals and marriages definitely here people used to celebrate through this variety of songs. Working people used to listen to folk songs for enjoyment and they never felt a burden in work. Some Telugu folk narratives are very popular in Uttarandhra.They are explaining history and their folk culture and tradition and habitual life of their locality. Woman songs habitually rendered in the houses celebrating ritual Festivals and daily works. These songs have been in continuation for thousands of years. It is learnt that arminent composer “Annamacharya” wrote hundreds of folk songs in Telugu during the 14th century. Rokali songs ladies used to sing while making butter from the curd and before marriage functions celebrate to prepare turmeric powder. Mothers used to sung some popular folk songs to their children to sleep nad when they are afraid.The song “Jo atchutananda jo jo mukunda lali paramananda Rama Govinda” is traditional and is a masterpiece of the composer sang fir centuries till today.like this many types of folk songs are o accational songs ,marriage songs, philosophical songs epic songs ,love songs etc. Vinjamuri Anasuaya devi introduced folk music first in her light music concerts way back in 1929 when she was 8 years old sung her first gramophone record.That is “Ayyo Koyyoda”. She introduced folk music in All India Radio,Madras from 1938.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 39
Artist Kandulla Pradip Kumar, Colour Pencil on Paper, BURRAKATHA FOLK PERFORMANCE, 40 X 60 cms
Artist Kandulla Pradip Kumar, Colour Pencil on Paper, JAMUKULU FOLK SINGERS, 40 X 55 cms ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 40
Vangapandu Prasad Rao inspired the villagers as well as the tribals with his folk songs .Vngapandu became famous with the first song who goes out like “Em pillodo ellam vastava”. People called him “Praja gayakudu”. He used to sing famous poet Sri Sri stage meetings. Most of the myths of mother goddesses and parental goddess are also popular and heard with high respect Ankamma Katha, Maremma katha, Thirupamma katha, these types of myths still have folk performance in Uttarandhra. Unique folk literacy genres also can be found in Andhra Pradesh in the performance by single individual artists like Pittala dora,Harikatha are unique in their mode of presentation and narrative techniques. BurrakathaBurrakathas are - Burrakatha tradition is supposed to be derived from the Yatuga tradition. What is the source of such dramas, multi-character coups, and short stories? The source of all this is YakshaGana. How did Burrakatha like that name? Leather dolls - leather dolls are displayed as the name implies - Burrakatha (Burrala ne ``dhakkilanu" is subtitled so we can assume that the name Burrakatha came into prominence for this storytelling style. It's easy to tell, it's easy to tell a burrakatha, it's a trioWhat we have, but what we have been promoting and doing professionally, is that the Jangas go with their troops to the villages to play the tambourine and the two thakkis. These burrakathas should be mentioned as a very ancient branch of exhibition. It is not known exactly when the form of the Chili and Burra stories from the Yakshagana Dasa dates back to the time of Srinath. As we can see from the hype - we can be overwhelmed by the sportsmanship. Much of what we know from this Burrakadha is based on the fact that it was written in the Manjari couplet. Many burrakathalu have appeared in Ragada, a domestic rhyme of the present times. In the past, some people compared and criticized this patriotism and the dual force - even Srinatha Kavi was a man. . . He wrote the heroic biography of Palnati in two words. The oldest and best is Srinath's Palnati T Veeracharitra. Aiming to make this indigenous literature unique, it recognizes the naturalness and universality of it and makes it popular in the civilized world.Burra katha stories are mostly religions and mythological. It was performed in villages of Andhra. The troupe consists of prayers ,solo ,drama, dance , songs, poems and jokes. The topic will be either Hindu mythological story or social issues. Here the main performer sings a song, “Vinara Veera Kumara , veera gadha vunara'' followed by the co-performers singing “tandana thana thandana na” main prrformer name is Kadahakudu plays the tambura as he moves. Forward and backward, expressing the central emotions of the story, and two coperformers who play the drums called “dinki”. He plays tambura and dances to music. He also wears a metal ring called an andelu on his right thumb. kathakudu wear anklets (gajjalu) which add even more music when they dance. The right side performer hasyak( joker) ,the left side performer Rakakiya(politician) The Story of Jamukula:The story of Jamukula is also known as Jakkulakatha. This art form performed by a caste called Jakkulu was originally known as Jakkulakatha. This Jakkulakathe turned into a Jamukula story. Romance, elegance and compassion are all reflected in this. The show runs for a total of three hours. The story of these Jamukas is known as Budigipata in Srikakulam district. Jamuku is an adjective. It is brush shaped. It is made of brass or wood. One side is covered with animal skin.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 41
In the middleMake a small hole and tie a string to it. It does not require a stage. The Jamukuls are water poor. Belonging to untouchable castes. Illiterate people. In this language, slang and speech are unique. Jamukula Katha - Social Benefit Pisa Lakshmana Rao was the first person to use the art form of Jamukula Katha for national purposes. He is a member of the Prajanatya Mandali. He would take the story of 'Kanyaka', turn Gurjada's song into a life story, turn it into a Jamukula story and sing it succinctly. Narasimha Rao was the narrator, Lakshmana Rao was the political commentator and Thottidi Simhachalam was the comedian. Mikkilineni Radhakrishnamurthy, Machineni Venkateswara Rao and Pattamsetti Umamaheswara Rao, who were prominent among the early artists of Prajanatya Mandali, learned this art form from Lakshmana Rao and performed it wonderfully. Mikkilineni is the main narrator. Umamaheswara Rao was a politician and Machineni was a comedian. After a while Karnati Lakshminarasaya told the joke. Subbarao Panigrahi later studied this art form and applied it to the stories of the Srikakulam peasant struggle. Bairagu song "Nandamaya Guruda Nandamaya Ananda Devi Ki Anandamaya" is very popular in Andhra Pradesh. Those who sing such philosophies are called Bairagu. Abhyudaya poets wrote many Abhudaya songs based on the lyrics of their songs. Thirunagari Ramanjaneyulu wrote a similar song today. �Praja Natyamandali - Prajakalarupalu Dr. Chintapalli.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 42
FROM KAJAL GAITONDE’S DESKIf you remember, in the last issue, I shared with you all the basics of Folk art and about how it influences the culture that it carries from that particular region. In this issue, I am going to talk to you all about my artworks and how they are connected to tradition. Let me tell you my story, I am a product of Sir. J. J. school of Art and have trained formally in metal-work. Shortly after that I worked as a guest faculty at a few leading institutes then. My subject was History of Art. To train the students in the knowledge enriching subject, I had to study myself, understand in-depth meanings, know the beginning and the end of that particular period and many such challenges were surpassed unknowingly by me just with a dire need to do so. I learned myself to spread the learning further. The knowledge was undeniably true and also very involving. Now, I realize that my inspiration comes from history/ tradition. As much as I look Indian, I feel Indian, I breathe Indian and I learnt Indian history to understand my roots, my tradition. Isn’t this the tradition that we artists follow. Don’t we naturally get inspired from what we are too involved with. Yes… and thus followed my journey, of learning, teaching, coaching and creating. Indus Valley Civilization, dating back to over 5000 years ago is where my inspiration lies and has stayed strong with me for more than 15 years and is still going strong. As aptly titled, The Sindhu Series which is the literal translation of the Indus Valley Civilization. The positive message that it conveys is that the artist wants these derived forms to travel the world very clearly with the etched stamps on the copper plate. The perforated ‘S’ as we now call it originates from the undeciphered script of the past. My other works in the series have various other motifs like ‘Swastika’ ‘a fish’ ‘Letter U’ ‘Letter A’ etc which all came into being ages ago by the primitive men and women. But we Indian's waited till the Aryan dynasty to cast titles for these forms/ symbols. Tradition is the transmission of customs or beliefs, or the fact of being passed on in this way. I had almost started believing that I was destined to take this tradition ahead and spread it to the masses through my medium of art. As we all know, the main difference between culture and tradition is that traditions describe a group's beliefs and behaviours that are passed down from one generation to another. Culture describes the shared characteristics of the entire group, which has been amassed throughout its history. Thus, my research topic comes from the traditional lands of primitive India and has become a vital part of the rich culture and gives me a sense of satisfaction through my honest expression on my closest medium, a metal plate.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 43
Artist Kajal Gaitonde , Sindhu Series, 9'' X10'', Mixed Media , Awarded By The Art List, September viewers Choice Winners ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 44
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 45
FROM KALAMKARI TO CHINTZ AND BACK BY SANJANA REDDY
When Vasco da gama arrived in India in 1497, he was delighted to find not only the much desired spices, but also some exquisite cotton textiles. India had developed many different styles of textile production, one of the most ancient being the kalamkari, which was allegedly first spotted around 2000 BC, in the archaeological remains of the Mohenjodaro sites. Today this fabric in its most authentic form can be found at Machilipatnam along the Krishna river in South India. The cloth is produced by a twenty three step process. The cotton fabric is first prepared by dipping it in cow dung and bleach, buffalo milk, and washing it in water until the odor is removed. Ink is prepared by blending jaggery, iron filings and water, after which designs from mythology and nature are applied onto the fabric. Pomegranate seeds are extracted for mustard, madder or alizarin for red and indigo for blue. Once the colours are applied, they are developed by boiling the fabric in increasing temperature with dye source. The fabric is then washed with water, dipped and stirred with alum water to fix the colours onto it. When kalamkari fabric was first brought to Portugal, it spread quickly to France, Netherlands and England. The lightness of the fabric and its sophisticated designs caught the imagination of Europeans. Within a hundred years the East India company was established and they began trading Indian cloth, especially kalamkari across the globe. The craftsmen in India began adapting their designs to suit the Europeans as well as their colonies. The name Kalamkari, was given by the Persians - meaning: qalam - pen, Kari - work. A form of Indian textile design that the whole world had a taste for. Iran became the biggest market for Indian cloth in the 16th century. Under the patronage of the Mughal empire, the artisans of Hyderabad worked at Golconda to produce designs suited to Persian tastes, leaves and flowers. Indonesia, Thailand, Egypt, Turkey, Persia and most of Europe imported Kalamkari and adapted it into their fashion at some point in history. Peacocks, mango leaves, flowers, women coloured in yellow (signifying fertility) Gods in blue, and demons in green were some common features in early Kalamkari work. Since ancient times the iconography and design in India was influenced by mythological trends of the time, alternating between Hindu and Buddhist styles and scenes for a long period until Islamic art became widespread. The painting styles between all these trends overlapped in many ways, especially in the material, colour and motifs, depicting illustrations of earthly opulence, repeating patterns, a kind of romance with nature. The Kalamkari done in Andhra Pradesh, Machlipatnam is influenced by the designs in the forts, palaces and temples, while the printing in Gujarat borrows largely from scenes of Mahabharata and Ramayana. The practice eventually diversified to woodblock printing for a wider production. Intricate designs are carved on woodblocks and then meticulously printed on cloth in symmetrical patterns repeating throughout. These designs are usually of Persian influence and differ from the hand painted designs slightly as the hand painted ones never repeated a design and every piece was unique. ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 46
By the 17th century the Kalamkari aesthetic had become quite a rage among elite classes in France and the working class in England. They adopted this cloth into their daily fashion with some modifications, using it as table covers, curtains, and bedroom drapery. The cloth had a feminine feel to it which transformed spaces into informal ones and perhaps invited a different kind of engagement. As the imported cloth had begun to dominate the european market, the local producers of silk, linen, wool protested and brought upon a ban on the use of this cloth and its aesthetic. France and England both underwent a period of prohibition on Indian cotton printed textiles, even inside homes. This incident is perhaps one of the early references for fashion being declared a crime. The aesthetic was too attractive however so Europeans reportedly began smuggling the textile and spying on Indian Industries to get their hands on it. Meanwhile French and British manufacturers began imitating the style and mass producing their own versions of the cloth for local and International market. This imitation style began to be called Chintz - from the Hindi word Chint meaning spotted, glazed or sprinkled, a French variant of Indian kalamkari. The production of Chintz coincided with the technological developments of the time and the British started producing cloth in factories and screen printing the original designs. Chintz has been used in European fashion since the 1700’s and continues to re-emerge in the world in different forms. Today there is a tension at home between digitally manufactured kalamkari which is a western import of an Indian aesthetic and the original tradition of producing the cloth. The digital prints are putting the traditional craftsmen out of work. The unique relationship that original Kalamkari and its design has to nature continues to shed light on sustainable fashion today. Many concerned fashion designers are working to revive the tradition and unearth the link between nature and fashion represented in the ancient art form.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 47
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 48
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 49
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 50
HEALING
THE ART OF REPAIR AN EKPHRASIS BY PATANJALI BHATI
An Indian prince who had been kept away from witnessing or even hearing about the existence of any sort of suffering by his father, the king, who thought he was protecting his son, goes on to feel suffering so intensely, that he attains Enlightenment driven by a unique longing to understand life in it’s totality. After attaining Enlightenment, the first teachings that Buddha gave was on the topic of ‘Four Noble Truths’, all of which are based on one fundamental wisdom, 'the existence of suffering'. And hence, the entire philosophy of Buddhism revolves on Healing, a journey that each one of us is on, whether we know it or not. Not just pertaining to the current state of our shared suffering of Covid19, but also in context of the cyclic ebb and flow of life. If Suffering is the first noble truth of our existence, then Healing is the first noble deed that we can commit to. The Buddhist teachings also tell us that, the cause of our suffering that we need to look for, lies in our anger and attachment, and the root cause of these seeds is our Ignorance. Not just that, that these can be regarded as the milestones we ought to encounter on our path to Healing. Buddha also provided us with the ultimate antidote for these – Developing Compassion and Love through Self Awareness; which we can consider as our protective shields that help us overcome these milestones on our path to healing. At a time when we are Healing from a world scale pandemic- a baffling 1.5 grams of virus that has affected each one of us, all 7.6 billion of us. The all-pervasiveness of Corona has shown us in how many ever ways we might have figured to divide ourselves – caste, creed, gender, class, country or society, we are all one in facing this crises and the responsibility to heal is our very own, down to the very singular self we consider ourselves to be. Our isolation has forced us to bridge new channels of connectivity. Our protecting ourselves has given Nature a chance to nourish itself. Healing as life’s many paradoxes, is yet another pore drenched in this un-torn fabric of space-time continuum. This Series dissects the dynamic phenomenon of Healing, that we ought to go through in the cycle of Samsara. My technique is simple - The ink encapsulates within it a mere moment of an exhale on a range of flowing colour. As the image manifests, slowly growing in my comprehension, very much like in Kintsugi, the art of repairing pottery with gold.. here too the parts of the image that needs to be held are saved by a few bold strokes of gold. At which point words come in, quite like that understanding which dawns only in hindsight and not when one is immersed in the experience. And these ekphrastic poems flow forth:
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 51
Tangled emotions conceal Layers of pain unhealed, of scars untold. But, even in the cluster of colours Shine shards of gold. *** Holding that warrior pose in changing tides on a quick-sand soil. Stability of breath, in whose depth, your wings can spread apart. And, it’s said of what is found at source, but the imprint created by the Source within oneself. *** Acceptance is the stubborn brick that holds the foundation of our healing. How could you otherwise catch yourself in the blame game? ‘Coz even when it’s directed towards one self, it’s a detour; that has the potential to spiral out of control. *** And at some point during the back and forth journey, the web that cast its tangled shadows evades. And come forth contours that you had never seen. The delicate curve of that all knowing smile When a truth comes to light That in your doing there is the hand of God, And in your needing, His want of you to dare. *** This knowledge itself a seed to fruition, Of dreams unspoken. Of what you would be, if you could see beyond the periphery of your meant to be. *** ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 52
Artist Patanjali Bhati ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 53
Artist Patanjali Bhati
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 54
Artist Patanjali Bhati
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 55
Artist Patanjali Bhati
Artist Patanjali Bhati
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 56
BEFORE FOLK ART BY PRANABESH MONDAL
We all know shape and colour create a visual language. But we don't know how shape and colour change our lifestyle? From (4000 Bc – 100Bc) cave painting we can see lots of simplified drawings of human and animals (ex: Eland Panel in South Africa). Story Behind Eland Panel is, for the san, Animals mean much more than just food. Eat is there for Indispensable That we understand san believes about and attributes to words the animal they painted and in graved. The island is chief amongst all the animals. As the major symbol in send throughIs chief amongst all the animals. As the major symbol in San through, the Eland appears in four major rituals; boy’s first kill, girl’s puberty, marriage, and the trance dance. And according to Megan Biesele, animals are metaphors with strength to bridge worlds.This was an example of representing the value of shape & colours, in art of our daily life. It was the most essential thing in human life. In this time people use natural colours like Red Oxide, White Clay, Yellow Clay and Charcoal.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 57
There are very many similarities between ‘Eland Panel’ and ‘Venus of Willendorf’. ‘Eland Panel’ human figurative drawings and ‘Venus of Willendorf Drawings' were quite similar. Because ‘Venus of Willendorf’ was a 3D figurine with a volume but the figure drawing we found in ‘Eland Panel’ has that volume feeling.We can see another similarity between ‘Coldstream Burial Stone’, drawing and ‘Female Figurine’ drawing although it is a 3 Dimensional figure.‘Female figurine and cold stream boreal stone are made in different places and different times but they make the drawing quite similar from hip to leg potion. Separation of volume creates this division of our body part which helps us to understand the difference between male figure ocean. Separation of value creates this division of our body part which helps us to understand the difference between male figure and female figure. In 3000 BC, CHAD we can see some drawings in rock. The shape of the drawing is similar with 3-D figures, especially female figurines which were found in Greece in 4250 BC. But in CHAD, the drawing engraved in rock, the name of the work is ‘Beautiful Ladies'. The interesting part of this work is not only the volume of drawing, it is the introduction of design in drawing (Ennedi Plateau).Palette of King Narmer which was found in Egypt (2990 Bc). In Narmer Palette we can see the separation of mankind's true king and slave.Egypt introduced us to many types of gods and many types of mythical creatures. Here and here some figures became a language. For that language we can know the social and political issues of Egypt although it was a design. Colour is the most important part in EgyptianIssues of Egypt although it was a design. Colour is the most important part in Egyptian Art.After Egypt many civilizations flourished. Ancient Maya civilization was one of them. And Eastern and South Eastern Mesoamerican Culture, shared by a great number of kingdoms in present hey day in Mexico, Guatemala, Belize and Western Honduras. ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 58
This civilisation took shape in the course of the latter classic period (from 750 BC -100 Bc).Maya architecture, gods, representing art quite similar to Egypt but may have his own style in Mayan art(Drawing, Sculpture). There are lots of designs in sculpture and drawing, mural painting, also sculptures are mostly volumebased compare through Egyptian’s sculpture. Maya architecture, gods, representing art quite similar to Egypt but may have his own style in Mayan art(Drawing, Sculpture). There are lots of designs in sculpture and drawing, mural painting, also sculptures are mostly volumebased compared through Egyptian’s sculpture. Example of Mayan Art: 1.Cancucu, panel 3 2.Copan stela A, Maudstay Cast 3.Yaxchilan lintel, war chief presenting captives to the king. 783CE (Kimbell Art Museum) 4.Possible Mirror bearen 6th century. 5.Bonampak mural, room 1 east wall; Musicians. 6.200 B.C - AD 500 in Mexico, Colima. Dog Vessel. (Slip painted ceramic, 23.5 x 19. 69 x 41. 91 cm). 7. 200 B.c- AD 500 in Mexico, Colima. Dog With Human Mask. (Slip painted ceramic, 21.59 x 39.39 x 17.78 cm). 8. 200 CE in Mexico xoloitzcuintle (Sculpture Ceramic, 31.5 x 21.3 x 21.3 cm). 9. 200 B.C - AD 500 in Mexico Four Joined Dogs, Burnished Ceramic with, 4 x 5 ½ in (10.16 x 13.97 cm). Dog vessel, Dog with Human Mask, Four Joined Dogs all are art used in daily life. This vessel carries the story of that particular time when it was made for use. Social issues and political issues are connected behind the vessels in a metamorphic way. That’s why shapes are trying to indicate something.After that civilization broke into many parts and the parts became a tribe. The tribe have their own tradition, rituals, God, Goddesses, social issues and many other things. Each tribe has their own identity mark by wearing different types of clothes. ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 59
making potteries and designs, songs which help them to create their own identities, when the tribal peoples trying to preserve their rituals, their lifestyles, by making leaf painting, scroll paintings, murals step painted palm ceramic potteries. That time, a new way came in art, “Folk Art.”In other words, ‘Folk Art,” is a term invented by 19th century white Christian well educated urbanites to describe the quaint arts and crafts of rustic societies.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 60
BIDRI; A FOLK TRADITION SINCE CENTURIES BY ATREYEE BHATTACHARJEE
BIDAR, the legendary story of its soil and It's craft called BIDRI, an ancient form of metal crafting with its acclaimed mesmerising perfect designs. As we all are aware about the colourful and what's the tile history and aesthetics of Indian art and craft, Since ancient times these all have influenced the history of Indian art and aesthetics with its classical approaches. Not only handicrafts, including textiles, ceramics, murals, sculptures and architecture and very importantly performing art with its different appearances. In this article we are going to zoom specifically about the craft or can you say the metal crafting of Bidar, Its methodology, and its legendary historical outline from pages of past. Bidri, Is known as one of the most amazing and elegant metal crafting formulas from Indian soil. It has an influential history, basically its original link is connected from Iran. According to history,Bidri there was a metal crafting method which developed at 14 century CE during the rule of the Bahamani Sultans. The term “BIDRI'' It's from the township of Bidar, which is still the chief centre for the manufacture of the unique metal ware. Bahamani Sultans, who ruled Bidar in the 14th to 15th centuries. The three techniques and styles are influenced by Persian art. It was first brought to India by Sufi Khwaja Moinuddin Hassan Chishti in the form of utensils. ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 61
This art form developed in the kingdom that was a mix of Turkish, Persian, Arabic influences which were intermingled with the local styles and thus an unique style of its own was born.Abdullah Bin Kaiser, craftsmen from Iran was invited by the Sultan Ahmed Shah Bahmani to work on the Royal palaces and Courts. According to some other sources from history, Kaiser joined hands with local craftsmen which amalgamated and gave birth to the final form of Bidri craft. under the rule of Ahmed Shah and his son second Alauddin Bahamani. Through these local artisans, the art was spread far and wide and was handed over to generations as time passed. The legacy that started two thousand years ago, today Bidri art is counted among the most popular forms of metal work that dwells in various forms across the World. This art form holds a significant position in ancient history of craft, pottery, pottery, cutlery. The ancient link of this art is also connected with the beautiful lands of Karnataka. This art has been handed down through various succeeding generation among the local Muslim and Lingayat sects since it's inception. Bidriware is considered to be an important source of income for the people of India and it is the most popular exported item among the form of handicrafts, and this is the major reason why it symbolises the wealth and heritage of India. The idea was to make the meter expensive yet retaining its beauty. This was done by mixing of copper and zinc in the form of an alloy where zinc was used for coating. A beautiful and perfect compound of metals such as copper and zinc, Bidri contains the pure qualities of both of the metals the black colour of the bidri metal is obtained From zinc while copper contributes to the temporary colour of the metal. Several intricate designs have been experimented with these types of metals, while maintaining the visual and aesthetic appeal intact. Bidri Art is indeed a-treat for art collectors and connoisseur’s all across the world.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 62
PROCESS OF BIDARI;The Bidri Process goes through an eight stage serial. The process of Bidri includes moulding, casting, smoothing, etching, and engraving, finishing or merging finally oxidising & polishing. The craftsmen first prepare the moulds through sand casting of the pieces. It is basically a mould which is formed from solid, made malleable By the addition of castor oil and rasin. Once the mould is ready then they prepare metal in cusibel and process to melt it. The metal is manufactured from an alloy of copper and zinc, in the ratio 1:16 for casting. The zinc compound gives the alloy a deep black colour. The alloy compound gets ready and the molten metal is poured into it to octane a cast and peace which is later smoothened by extreme filing finishing. The casting next gets welded and joined and after the primary finishing it is coated with a strong solution of copper sulphate to obtain a temporary black coating on its surface. In the next stage, the experts process with designing and they etch the freehand designs on the surface with the help of a metal stylus. Then a vice crafts man uses small chisels and a hammer to engrave the design over the freehand etching. Serially once the etching process gets completed, the craftsmen apply fine silver wire and flattened strips carefully hammered into those etched & engraved grooves. Once the article is filed, they take it for buffing and smoothening to get rid of the temporary black coating. This results in rendering the silver inlay Hardly distinguishable from the gleaming metallic surface which are all shimmery White. The Bidriware next goes for the final blackening process. Here, a special variety of soil which is only available in the unlit Portions of the ‘Bidar Fort’ is used. The soil content with Ammonium Chloride and water to produce a paste which is heated and boiled in fire, and the Bidriware are dipped in that soil potion and rubbed on its surface, the paste selectively darkens the body while it has no effect on the silver inlay.The paste is then rinsed off to reveal a shiny silver design represented against the black surface. As the finishing touch, oil is applied to the finished product and it forms a pure black with brilliant silver inlay design. ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 63
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 64
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 65
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 66
It is said that the soil of Bidar is very special. No one can say the exact chemical compounds are available in it. Some artisans feel that the soil is far from the contact of sunlight and rain from several years and therefore it has contained a good amount of oxidised properties. And also many people believe that the part of the fort, from the soil where it was actually brought ,was enriched with metal extracts in it which made Bidar Soil individual & unique.The artisans believe that the quality of the three soils is very important and the real art lies in testing the market which is necessary for making the articles. It is also tested by the artisans by the tongues and then decided whether it is usable or not. The soil testing experience comes and passes through generation to generation. Also one of the very important processes of making Bidri starts from casting two oxidation is done by hand and therefore the entire process is pretty time consuming and costly too. In Bidri wear most of the time the traditional design patterns are followed. Various flowers which are known as Ashrafi- Ki- Booti, leaves, geometric patterns, human figures, Persian roses etc type of patterns we can identify commonly. Earlier stages Bidri art were used for making hookahs, Baterleaf holders, vases, bells, earrings, trays, ornament boxes, And jewellery and show pieces. Who is believed to be one of the most sophisticated artefacts for home decoration. Like other several traditional and creative art forms of India, Bidri also can be considered as one of those classic crafts which carries an historical perspective along with it. We must encourage our new generations of artisans and creative minds to research and restore many other endangered art and craft forms (either indigence or hybrid) like Bidri, with proper concern and practice of it. Also to learn about these classic techniques to apply it along with the contemporary creative concepts to evolve the next generation of modern form of Art in the coming future.
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 67
ANTIQUE MEENAKARI METAL VESSEL FROM MUGHAL DYNASTY
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
PAGE 68
Artist Sujiet Podar Visual Artist from Mumbai
ARTIST OF THE ISSUE
Sa Re Ga Ma Pa Series, Acrylic on Teak Wood, 16 x 18 & 18 x 20inches, 2020
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2
"History allows us to understand our past. My intention and motivation for my artworks are musical historical pivotal events in India. Sometimes it expresses musical migration in India. My works range from painting, drawing, sculpture, sound installation. As my paintings are figurative which origin from Patna style. (An art form which is a combination of British & Indian Miniature style). I used bright colours which show happiness and ecstasy as music gives. Sometimes I used purchase and found materials. My Art works are amalgamation of conventional and modern technique and time. An interesting thing that is noted in the swaras is Sa, Ma and Pa are sounds made by birds and rest from animal's . these of my Artworks relating this myth!" PAGE 69
ARTIUREQA/VOL.1-ISSUE 2