Artistic ‘adivasis’ gaining the art world’s appreciation

The astounding tribal art tradition from India, having taken roots and thrived at the fringes of the majority communities, is indeed different from the mainstream and internationally recognized standard Indian art scene. Equally attached to their dynamic living traditions, woven into their day-to-day living like music, dance and drama, they still are hardly familiar to Western world.

Many established contemporary artists like Sujata Bajaj are influenced by tribal art and culture, which reflect in her works. Unfortunately, the representations of the adivasis have been full of prejudices and preset notions removed from reality, for a long time, as much for the Indians as for art lovers abroad barring a few exceptions. However, the scenario is changing for the better…

For example, it was the first time that auction house Sotheby’s incorporated tribal art from India in its sales in 2009. Tracking the trend, Anindita Ghose of The Mint publication had pointed out in an insightful essay how it’s now ‘the youngest star’ of India’s contemporary art scene. “The raison d’être of tribal art is that in an age of digital imaging and virtual installations, they seem handmade.

They’re the farmers’ market equivalent of cling-wrapped fruit,” the writer stated, and quoting renowned curator Yashodhara Dalmia underlined the fact that folk & tribal artists aren’t the ones perhaps slow in catching us (in fact, probably other way round, as we’ve been a tad slow in recognizing them.)

Of course, there were seasoned collectors like Lekha Poddar spotted the potential of the art form a long ago. The astute art patron noticed a young tribal artist Ramesh Tekam and mesmerized by his peculiar animals and tree of life works done on paper, and realized the work was as ‘contemporary’ as those already there in her collection. The Poddars had even unveiled an ambitious contemporary tribal art exhibition last year, probably the largest ever in India at their non-profit institution.