Traditional Indian art is witnessing a contemporary makeover. And the art market is loving it

Tribal and traditional artists explore novel ways of storytelling, experimenting with colour, techniques and contemporary themes, to connect with younger, mainstream audiences

The unusually sultry September and a busy makeshift stall, do not stop Rupsona. A folk singer-artist of the pattachitra tradition, from Pingla district, West Bengal, she narrates her scrolls through song, armed with a powerful voice. Undeterred by visitors trying to catch her art on camera, she points to her canvas and sings of the playful love Radha and Krishna share. Lately, her canvases have been telling some socially relevant stories as well: of female infanctide, the tsunami of 2004, and even the life of Mother Teresa. 

At another stall in Craft Council’s recently-concluded Artisans Collective in Chennai, a pichwai cow adorned with ceremonial jewelry dominates a stretched canvas, to the backdrop of an unexpectedly trendy monochrome grid. The Warli artist opposite holds out canvases where traditional tarpa dance and geometrical figures have now been replaced by the Tree of Life, painted in acrylic. Nearby, Bhil artists display the Hindi alphabet drawn in their traditional style to introduce children to the tribal artform.

Traditional Indian artforms, a treasure trove rooted in the deepest trenches of culture, are thus adapting to the changing sensibilities of domestic and international art buyers: through contemporary themes, social messaging and experimental mediums. The reasons are many: wider reach and visibility, changing demands of the varying clientele, and the artists’ personal desire to upskill and rise as a brand. “All this, without compromising the ethos of the art,” reminds Mala Dhawan of A Hundred Hands, a Bengaluru-based organisation that bridges the gap between clients and artisans. 

While characters from Hindu mythology and Nature remain primary subjects of centuries-old traditional and tribal arts , conscious innovation by third, fourth and fifth generation artists is introducing novel ways of storytelling. 

Now, pichwai cows or kamdhenus — trusted companions of Radha and Shrinathji, usually a silent witness to all his leelas - can be protagonists too. Naveen Soni, a third generation pichwai artist from Nathdhwara, Rajasthan, shows the cow as an all-encompassing character: a scene unfolds inside its ornate body, as Krishna and Radha reappear. It is abstract to an extent, and will easily fit into a home with contemporary decor.

“We have amalgamated some modern subjects in these pichwais, while sticking to the traditional style of drawing,” says Naveen. Modernising, according to Naveen, also means the marriage of elements from different schools of the same traditional artform that emerged in the 17th Century, revolving around the central character of Shrinathji. Pointing to a canvas, he explains, “Here, you can see trees from different schools of Indian miniature painting like Kishangarh school and Pahadi school in a single painting.” Traditionally, a pichwai that is inspired from flora-fauna themes are unheard of, but Naveen has innovated with birds, trees and some animals – other than kamdhenu – to keep up with the changing demands of his clientele.