Aadi Chitra or Adivasi paintings tell stories of tribal myth and magic, their eco system comprising birds, animals, trees and flowers and their lifestyle that remain unchanged till today. Today tribal art has journeyed from wall to canvas, cloth and paper, and even being described by Western critics as the only “truly Indian art form”.
A selection of Gond, Warli, Saora and Pithora art is being presented by TRIFED of Bangalore in the city.
Each frame unveils the philosophy and beauty of the various tribal art forms.
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Gond artists play with the magic realism and abstraction inherent in their art. Vibrant colours bathe trees, birds and flowers. A contrast to Gond painting’s bold beauty are the delicate lines of Odisha’s Saora art done on silk with delicate black outlining of images of flora and fauna and human faces. To the dramatic contrast of black figures on white, the Saora artist adds a daub of colour here and there, giving the paintings a touch of poetry.
Nagamandalas, white peacocks against earthy brown background, dancing Adivasis and women at work form the core of Warli art done on handmade paper. Pithora paintings mainly comprise stylised horses, beautiful peacocks and convoluted animal forms.
The exhibition is on till August 31 at Cooptex Ground complex, 350, Pantheon Road.
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