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BHURI BAI Hailing from Jher in Madhya Pradesh, known as ‘Bhuri Amma’ in her community, is the oldest among Bhil artists. Breaking the path of patriarchy she excels in the world of Bhil art. She loves to incorporate Bhil culture and surroundings in her art. Animism is one of the key components of her works. Alongwith painting her expertise is in bhittichitra or mittichitra (clay relief work on wall) that she learnt from her mother Jhabbu Bai. Now she lives in Bhopal and works in IGRMS as a daily wage basis to survive her livelihood and continue her painting. She has become an institution of herself with her dedication and contribution to this genre of art. Her zeal to continue the traditional practice of Bhil art and to pass on the legacy to the next generation has made her ‘Bhuri Amma’. She is like a guardian angel to the community. She loves to sing while painting. Transforming the wall painting into canvas and paper under the tutelage of master artist J. Swaminathan, who about 30 years ago brought a group of Bhil artists to Bhopal from Jhabua, Bhuri Bai is one of those avant garde Bhil artists. Mostly, the ritualistic paintings are created by male, however, she has turned down the perception and started doing paintings on different rituals like gal bapsi, gatla, bhagoria etc. Her Dreams Bhuri Bai dreams to explore her works to a larger audience and let the people know about the Bhil culture and art. She wants to establish her own small space where she could give workshops to people across the globe. |
Sonali Chitrakar Sonali Chitrakar, a young generation Pattachitra artist, lives and works in Naya, an interior village of West Midnapur, West Bengal. Under the guidance of her mother Swarna Chitrakar, a renowned name in this art genre Sonali has learned the painting. She mostly paints square/ rectangular (Chouka) Pat, Scroll (Jorano) Pat rendering the sources from traditional stories and folklore as well as on contemporary issues. Traditionally Patachitra are painted with vegetable colours on handmade papers in the scroll form and backed with cloth. Indigenous plants and minerals including turmeric, vermillion, and burnt rice are used for colour and sap of the wood-apple is used as mordant. The purpose of the art is to create social awareness on socio-political issues with a combination of art and music. Interestingly, pattachitra artists compose a song based on the theme of each painting and they perform it while showing their art. Sonali has a brilliant and vibrant voice in singing. Alongwith with the painting Sonali has started to explore pattachitra art in various other mediums like sarees, dupattas, utilitarian objects, umbrellas etc. Her Dreams Sonali Chitrakar wants to empower herself through her art and set an example to her fellow village women with encouragement. She dreams to establish a community centre where she would teach the traditional art of pattachitra to her fellow community. In this way, she wants to restore the aesthetic of the art form. |