Tribals find a platform to display Prints, Paintings, Pottery

New Delhi, July 28 (UNI) Tribal art may be in no way less than the work of artists living in Delhi, Mumbai and other metros but living in isolation the tribals seldom find a platform to display it.

Various unknown artists and artisans from tribal communities living in the remotest parts of India are exhibiting their works including prints, paintings and pottery at AIFACS Art Gallery in the capital.

Titled 'Tribes, 3 Ps: Prints, Paintings and Pottery', the art show is being organised by the Tribal Cooperative Marketing Development Federation of India (TRIFED) which has been functioning as a national-level apex organisation under the Union Ministry of Tribal Affairs since 1987.

The artefacts displayed at the exhibition will be up for sale as well.

Most of the tribal paintings on display revolve round the theme of rituality which the tribals make on the mud and dung plastered walls of their homes to mark occasions like marriage, child birth, the harvest season and traditional festivals. They also depict scenes of village life, lifestyle of the rural folk, animals and birds considered sacred by them and various gods and goddesses they worship. Paintings by tribals from Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Orissa and the Northeastern States are displayed.

The exhibition was inaugurated by eminent artists Jai Zharotia and Amrut Patel yesterday. Impressed with the plethora of artistic expression on display, Mr Zharotia said, " One cannot get the purity which can be seen in the works of folk artists -their works at display in this exhibition reflects purity of their soul.'' "A folk artist draws with a purity of mind and heart. His work may be disproportionate but it is pure. The vibration you get after looking at their works a true feeling and has a meditative quality,'' he added.

The exhibition also showcase pottery made by tribes from Manipur using different 'firing' methods, some of which involve heating the clay objects to 900 degrees Celsius. The characteristically black 'Longpi' pottery made by the Tangkhul Naga tribe of Manipur at display includes the new styles in studio pottery and the bold experiments with varieties of clay firing techniques and using fusion of art forms with motifs primarily from the North East India Besides, there is a range of ready to wear items in tribal prints including block prints on Tussar and silk sarees making these ethnic as well as trendy.

Asked to what extent these exhibitions help them, Nandkushiya Shayam, a tribal from Bhopal , whose paintings are at display said, "We get a better price for our work in a market like Delhi. At our place only foreigners buy these kinds of works that too once in a while." "These exhibitions also give exposure to us and our work," she added.

The exhibition will be open for viewing till July 30,2007 from 1100 hrs to 1900hrs.

UNI