Bengaluru’s MAP hosts exhibition about miniatures on mica

The Forgotten Souvenir, an exhibition of mica paintings, is currently on display at the Museum of Art and Photography

It is highly possible the last time one heard the word “mica” was in school and in connection to a no-longer-remembered chapter on the earth’s minerals. The Forgotten Souvenir, an exhibition that is currently underway at the Museum of Art and Photography, will not only stir up memories of geography lessons, but also an important one in history, too.

According to Khushi Bansal who curated Forgotten Souvenirs, mica paintings rarely get an exclusive viewing and are usually a part of larger exhibitions displaying Company School Paintings (works of art created during the British era). However, mica paintings came into their own during a specific period of time in India — when royal patronage of traditional art was on the decline and photography was becoming popular.

“This was a period when the British had come to India, the courts were no longer able to support artists and their workshops, and so they started adapting to changing demands and clientele,” says Khushi, adding that the new patrons were military personnel and merchants visiting India; they neither had the time nor the resources to commission large scale works.

“There is a depletion in the level of detail as well as a change in the themes found in art works at the time,” she says, with regard to art works executed during that period. “Usage of the term Company School minimises a lot of other developments in the art scene at that time.”

However, the biggest transition was that of the medium. Khushi explains, “While art continued to be created on paper, artists also started working on other materials, such as ivory, shell and mica. Mica became an interesting medium because it imitated European glass paintings, and compared to glass, they were relatively easy to transport back to England.”

It is interesting to see how a factor such as the tourist demand for collectibles heralded a change in creative expression. Mica is found in specific parts of the country— Murshidabad, Patna and Tiruchi — and these regions developed specific styles of work with this medium.

This stylistic shift is quite apparent during a walk through The Forgotten Souvenir exhibit. There are the three types of mica paintings — the faceless images, sets of trades and occupations, and deities.