All things folk and tribal

Standing testimony to the rich and varied art forms that India is home to, an exhibition here is showcasing different forms of folk and tribal art from across the country.
Titled "Earth Songs", the exhibition underway at Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA) here has been curated by Uma Nair and reflects the need to recognise and reaffirm the importance and vitality of Indian folk and tribal arts.
All the exhibits at the show are products of the LKA art camps that were held over the last three years, that saw participation by artists hailing from Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh among others.

"Great institutions must dig back into their founding missions and beginnings and reflect it forward into their present.
"All art is contemporary to its own time. The space between outside and inside must disappear - art must belong to everyone and walls must be replaced by veils of insight and foresight," says Nair.
A myriad of tribal art forms - from Warli and Gond to Pithora and Bhil - have been showcased in about 70 paintings and 10 sculptures.

Tribal art is distinct in its motifs, which are generally inspired by the lifestyles of the antive population, their religious deities, mythology, or elements of nature.

For instance, motifs of the auspicious Pithora stories of the border regions of Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat are recurrent in the minimalist and geometricised figuration of Warli works.
Internationally acclaimed Gond artist Venkat Ram Shyam
relies on mythology to compose intricate images which are not just a delight to the eyes, but also have a story to tell.
While the images in Gond appear to be simple, it is the complex patterning that is a challenge. Also, it is the pattern that sets one Gond artist apart from the other.
"Tribal art's very function is to narrate. It does not care about proportion, perspective or size but builds itself on lines dots and textures," says Nair.

Among the 10 sculptures, two are wooden works carved out of single blocks of wood and the remaining are made in brass alloys.
A 1985-brass sculpture of Lord Shiva, appears "pretty contemporary" for its time, particularly with a tiny snake on the shoulder and an "exciting modern looking trishul".
"This image has a spiritual fervor and a cohesive grace that makes us think of older Mohenjo Daro and Harappa creations," says Nair.
Other sculptures include the Madiya dancers of Bastar with their bison head gear and a choreographic complex work that celebrates ritual practices.
The show is set to continue till November 15.