Immerse yourself in tribal art with a modern twist at Jehangir Art Gallery

Wings of Devotion by Jyoti Uikey

As beautiful as art is, it ranks below human survival. Yet, occasionally, the struggle to survive can lead to unexpected creative explorations. For Sundeep Bhandari, founder of Gondwana Art Project, the COVID-19 pandemic was one such moment. "We had been working with tribal artists since 2019, when the pandemic struck. Suddenly, these indigenous artists found their livelihoods stopped completely since the markets were shut. It was then that we decided to expand our work on the project by taking them under our wings," shares the Delhi-based curator. The project's latest exhibition, The Modern Tribal-Connecting Traditions at the Jehangir Art Gallery this week is the result of the ongoing process of introducing traditional artisans to a new form and grammar in art.

Uikey at work

Over 45 artworks by 12 artists from Gond, Bhil and Warli tribal communities will be on display at the exhibition. The show is an updated and revised version of the exhibition that opened at Bikaner House in Delhi back in January this year, shares co-curator Jas Karan Gupta. "The project hopes to shift the perspective towards traditional art," he reveals.

Rukh Carrying Amir by Gond artist Rita Shyam

Started as part of the Crafts and Community Development Association (CCDA), Bhandari and the project set out to re-educate the indigenous artists on the nuances of modern art, so as to enable them to expand their view. "These included simple things such as using a softer colour palette or pastels. Many of these artists have never worked in the abstract. We reached out to designers to help mentor them, and to help them to use different mediums. The Warli artists, for instance, created works with indigo-dyed cloth," the founder shares. Gupta points out that the project also works with Sohrai, Kohvar, Paitkar, Kurumba and Baiga art forms of India.

Mela by Ram Bai

The result is an exhibition that is at once dissonant and beautiful in its medley. There is a focus on storytelling that underlines the artists' ability to weave modern thoughts with their indigenous skills. Individuality is something the project emphasised on. The presence of a large women contingent of artists also adds to context to the showcase.

"For a long time, there has been an artificial boundary between urban and traditional art. But times are changing. In places like Australia and Africa, indigenous art commands higher price points," Bhandari explains. The exhibition in Delhi introduced the founder to an interesting observation. "The Bhil artists in India, for instance, create works using only dots and circles - a precursor to pointillism. In fact, even the aboriginal artists in Australia use a similar form and style," he points out.

Sundeep Bhandari

The similarities don't end there. "The Australian continent has a Gondwana region as well. It is believed to have formed when the continental plates split. Now, it is a theory; but a remarkable one," he notes.
With the Mumbai exhibition starting tomorrow, the project hopes to take these works to different cities. Kartik Bhandari, among the curators of the show, adds, "The idea is to create a continued livelihood for these artists while enabling them to access a larger market on the international space. We hope to take these to different cities to showcase the works and evolving styles."

On:May 7; 5 pm onwards (Preview); May 8 to May 13; 11 am to 7 pm
At: Jehangir Art Gallery, Kala Ghoda, Fort.