A Return To Folk Art 

If your sensory organs are not tingled by the haunting melody and rural magical tales of wonder at the mention of ancient Indian folk paintings, then you have come a long way from the roots of Indian art. 

Woven with the golden threads of verbal magic, Indian folk art produces an almost auditory effect on its viewers.

Such an art form should be seen as a family legacy that has been passed on from one generation to the other for ages. However, the evolution and advancement in the current outlook of folk art communities have put the zeal of creating folkloric depictions in the backseat. The communities that had once proudly practised their trade and were driven by the simplistic goals of securing a livelihood by it have now chosen a more commercial approach over the vintage ways. The call of magnificent mythical legends has always been one of the major factors behind the success of folk art. And although, the postmodern modes of depiction shine brighter than the ancient hues, the grammar or the specific pattern of such scenes are progressively losing their original structures. 

This fateful schism between the authentic structures of folk art and the recent approaches has mercilessly robbed our generation of the access to the glorious histories of Indian art. Due to this, the national audience has become starkly disconnected with its roots, failing to grasp the relevance of such lore in the present times. 

With revolutionary and groundbreaking invention of ‘Digital Art‘ we have been sucked up in an endless loop of hyper-realistic presentations of mixed media – as a result, every bit of ancient manual design exists today as simply a neglected and isolated relic of some forgotten era – a forgotten identity of what used to be the golden age of unimaginable artistic inspiration. 

So, how can folk art styles be freed from its state of hibernation? What can re-energise these art practices through innovation without ever joining the mainstream? Hereby, we celebrate the independence of Indian folk art and weigh the possibilities through dialogues with artists from various fields.

We questioned a number of artists about the state of folk art in India in the twenty-first century. As expected, their answers varied considerably on this point. Saurav Saha, whose art is inspired by the pattachitra of Orissa and Bengal terracotta, mentions a slow revival of folk art in the current century. Rudraneil Mukherjee is a multi-disciplinary illustrator and graphic designer practicing a fusion artform which he describes as, ‘Desi-folk.’ On this question, he has a similar opinion. He writes, ‘I think artists are reviving cultural styles, shaping them in their own vision. As far as digital art is concerned I have seen characters from TV Shows and Movies in a ‘desi’ style and in ‘desi’ attire. I have also noticed artists who specifically illustrate taking inspiration from folk art in general.’

He ends on a very positive note, ‘I believe folk art will never die but will go through cycles of rebirth across different media and there will always be people who appreciates them for what they are.’ 

Others have a somewhat different opinion. Anurit Ghosh specializes in a variety of Bengal-centric artforms, from Pala art to the Kalighat Pattachitra. He professes a rather ambiguous opinion about the state of folk art in India. For him, administrative support is crucial to ensure the survival of any artform. But sadly, in India, folk art is extremely family-centric and regional so institutional support is difficult to garner or access. Also, due to the extremely specific and restrictive nature of these styles, there are very few practitioners who are actually well-versed in them. However, some have succeeded in obtaining international recognition in spite of all these limitations. Speaking about the art-forms he practices, he says that some of them have gone almost ‘extinct’ whereas others are now being revived gradually. 

Arnab Chatterjee, specializing in Saura paintings from Orissa throws light on the politics of recognition when it comes to Indian folk art. He says that while the art-form that he practices, Saura, has been relegated to the peripheries of the emerging folk art scene in India, others like Worli and Madhubani have ‘…gained immense popularity in the recent times.’ Speculating on the possible reasons behind the unpopularity of Saura, he mentions the monochromatic nature of these paintings setting them back with regard to popularity among the masses.

Still others are profoundly pessimistic. Antara Banerjee claims an expertise in an array of indigenous art forms, from Madhubani to Gond art. She says how folk art is ‘dying’ as traditional practitioners are switching to other, more ‘relevant’ professions. Sunita Jash practises a particularly marginalized, and in her own words, ‘little-known’ artform known as ‘Godna’ which is a traditional tattoo art found in Bihar and Uttarakhand. Her response to this question is quite poignant in that the traditional practitioners of Godna are moving away to more economically profitable professions thus abrogating the ‘purity’ of the art. In order to aid its survival, however, artists are modifying its locus. Godna art is slowly being transferred from the bodies of individuals to walls and canvases. Thus, we see how folk art is adapting in order to survive in a rather unkind century. On a similar note, Swadhin Ganguly, an artist specializing in folk fusion art, expresses hope that folk art will be taken up by the current generations and popularized again via social media. 

Subsequently, we solicited suggestions from our interviewees with regard to the revival of folk art and the role played by the economy, the state and the political atmosphere in the same. Our artists had a lot to say about this. For Saurav Saha, governments should focus on the construction and consolidation of adequate infrastructure that can sustain and facilitate the growth of folk art. This infrastructure should be geared towards ‘education, practice, re-invention, promotion and sale of indigenous craft and art practices.’ Antara Banerjee’s emphasis is on the resounding demand for a ‘platform’ to promote folk art. 

Sunita Jash mentions the importance of going beyond the mere ‘imitation’ of folk art. Such practices should also be enhanced by a sustained study of the origin, the philosophy and the history of the evolution of that particular art form. Such pedagogy should start at schools. She asserts that policymakers should work towards cultivating an interest in indigenous art among schoolchildren.  Swadhin Ganguly also stresses the important of pedagogy for the revival of folk art. Additionally, Jash suggests that administrative bodies adopt a proactive approach in promoting folk art. They can do this by organizing online workshops, interviewing artists and educating the public about the history and the significance of various indigenous artforms.

Anurit Ghosh, perhaps sums it up the best: ‘The state administration has a very useful role to play in this – first, suitable economical packages should be provided to the artisans, and they must be given the honor of being teachers of these artforms in particular institutions. And secondly, more government or government-aided institutions must be established which teach these artforms….Finally, proper and regular exhibitions and markets should be developed….’

Thus, the artists suggest a three-pronged approach – institutional support in the form of infrastructural and economic development, pedagogy, and the creation and consolidation of a proper market for folk art. Last, but not the least, awareness and recognition must be cultivated among the public with regard to folk art and its sometimes murky origins.

We went on to ask them if the revival of these art forms can be considered to be an index of India’s ‘power,’ as it were, in an international arena. The artists had mixed views on this regard. For Rudraneil Mukherjee, for instance, folk art, in spite of consolidating community identities, does not add to India’s socio-cultural influence at a global stage. On the other hand, Arnab Chatterjee professes a starkly opposing view. ‘Nowadays with the proper commercialization of the folk art forms in the global market, India can naturally be seen as an emerging power in establishing its status in the international order,’ he asserts. Antara Banerjee is of a similar opinion. ‘There is a huge craze of folk art in the world market with the help of media and social networking platforms we can expect more space, opportunity, promotion and expand our folk art,’ she says enthusiastically.

Sunita Jash emphasises the unique spiritual, philosophical and aesthetic properties of Indian folk art. It is a way of life for her, something that teaches us to think differently. It should also be noted for its versatility. From drawing room art to ‘mind healing’ folk art has various uses, in her opinion and these uses are now being recognized throughout the world. Swadhin Ganguly seconds this in his comment on the ‘unique feeling’ that folk art elicits in the mind of the beholder.

Our final question to these contemporary practitioners of folk art was about the persistence of these various forms in an era of hyperrealism and digital art. How relevant is folk art in the postmodern age? Perhaps the mesmerizing art produced by our interviewees could serve as a powerful retort to this question. Most artists highlight the importance of staying connected to our roots. For Rudraneil Mukherjee, Antara Banerjee and Saurav Saha, folk art forms are much more than art, they are repositories of the history of communities and form an essential part of their identities.

Anurit Ghosh brings up a related point which is also extremely significant. For him folk art is the ‘mother’ of all the dominant art forms in the postmodern age, be it digital art or hyperrealism. Artists integrate their personal experiences with knowledge that they have acquired over time and give rise to vibrant new forms. So there is a combination of personal liberties and a thorough historical foundation here which sustain folk art now, and contribute to its increasing relevance in the twenty-first century. Arnab Chatterjee seconds this by saying that folk art forms a bridge between our past(s) and our present. Thus, despite the ascendancy of hyperrealism and digital art, folk art persists, and it persists quite gloriously.

Some artists bring up even more interesting points in this regard. For instance, Sunita Jash mentions sustainability. ‘The way they use ordinary, natural colours and use natural methods to create art on paper or cloth is of great importance from the environmental perspective in this day and age,’ she says. 

(Curated by: Suman Mukherjee

Wriiten by: Suman Mukherjee & Mahasweta MD)