‘Adivasi Aakruti’ - India Tribal Art

Celebrating the Artistic Heritage of India’s Indigenous Tribes

Brought to you by the Consulate General of India, Toronto and Gerrard India Bazaar BIA

Gerrard Street Art Jam

‘Adivasi Aakruti’ aims to express the meaning of multiculturalism to the local community of Gerrard India Bazaar by painting the concrete tree boxes along Gerrard St. (E) from Coxwell Ave. to Glenside Ave.

To create a neighbourhood where differences are embraced and individuality is celebrated, the Gerrard India Bazaar
BIA has offered 6 concrete tree boxes up for decoration by local artists. The artworks will be treated as permanent
installations.

The unveiling of the 6 Indian Tribal Art forms on the tree boxes will be on June 22, 2023. We encourage you to come down to view them and learn about each one’s heritage significance.

Art & Artist

Shayona Panth

Shayona Panth was born into a family of artists and her first mentor in art was her mother, a poet and painter. She is a mural and pet portrait artist with extensive experience in private and public mural work and commissioned art. She lives in downtown Toronto, with her husband and two cats.

KALAMAKARI

by Shayona Panth

In Hindi, “Kari” signifies work and “kalam” indicates pen. Fine bamboo pens created by the artists themselves are used for this style of art. During the Golconda Sultans’
control, Kalamkari flourished, and some paintings also display Persian influences. The most often utilized source of paints is vegetable ink. For royal families, a modern style known as Karuppur features fabric that has been embellished with golden brocade.

WARLI

by Shayona Panth

Warli painting is a form of tribal art. This tribal art is indigenous to the state of Maharashtra and is well-known for its simple wall paintings. It is among the best examples of folk art. This uses basic geometrical shapes including the square, circle, and triangle. On a background of dark red, these paintings are carved in white (with a bamboo brush). The picture features images from everyday life, including dancing, fishing, farming, festivals, and other activities.

Sima Naseem

Sima Naseem is a Pakistani-Canadian mixed media artist who works with multiple mediums with a focus on public art and animation. She enjoys using bright colours and playful designs that have a positive impact on her community through inclusivity, diversity and inspirational imagery. She is always looking for new and creative ways to share her cultural and personal experiences through art.

GOND

by Sima Naseem

The Gond tribe in central India is known for their popular folk art known as “Gond painting.” It is carried out in order to communicate and preserve the Gond tribal community’s culture. Folk dances, music, and Gond paintings all fall under the category of Gond tribal art. The majority of these paintings are painted on paper, canvas, cloth, etc. and are rich in details, lines, colours, mystery, and humour. These are high-quality and can withstand no tampering for roughly 20 years.

BHIL

by Sima Naseem

Viewing Bhil Art is akin to walking into the home of the painters and experiencing firsthand, this intimate art form from Central India. The Bhils, who live in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, are India’s second-largest tribal group. Traditionally, the clay walls of the Bhil people’s hamlet homes would be decorated with their art. Neem sticks and other twigs would be utilized to paint lovely pictures while using natural dyes.

Aparna Rangnekar

A Contemporary Artist, an Art Educator and a Muralist, Aparna holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Sir J. J. School of Arts in Mumbai, India. In a career spanning over two decades Aparna's unique style of using vibrant colours and bold textures to create striking compositions with a childlike simplicity have fast become her signature. In the recent years, in her personal art practice, Aparna has been focusing on her passion for Indian folk arts and her mission of bringing awareness to the many unique folk artforms by facilitating workshops and classes within the community. Aparna sits on the board of directors of the prestigious Arts and Culture Initiative of South Asia - ACISA a not-for-profit organization that organizes multiple events in Brampton to promote cross-cultural understanding. She is Festival Director of ACISA’s event, Visual Arts of South Asia - Arts Festival.

KAVAD

by Aparna Rangnekar

The roughly 500-year-old Kavad or Kawad art of Rajasthan is practiced by Jangid Brahmins from Chittorgarh. It’s a multi-paneled, three-dimensional box that can be opened up. Several Gods and Goddesses have been painted on this portable temple. Ramayana, Puranas, Bhagavad Gita, and other epic stories are depicted on these panels, which are composed of light wood.

Manpreet Kaur

Manpreet Kaur is a renowned artist and muralist known for her captivating, vibrant murals and paintings. Her work explores identity, diversity, aiming to spark meaningful conversations and inspire positive change. With bold colors and intricate details, Manpreet's art leaves a lasting impression and amplifies marginalized voices.

PHAD

by Manpreet Kaur

Phad, which has its roots in Rajasthan, is primarily a religious style of scroll painting that features the folk gods Pabuji or Devnarayan. The canvas or fabric that it is painted on is referred to as phad and is 30 or 15 feet long. These paintings are characterized by vegetable colours and a continuous narrative of the lives and valiant acts of deities.

Artist Coordinator

Jim Bravo

Jim Bravo was born in Ecuador, South America, and is of Afrolatino descent. He is a graduate of The Ontario College of Art and Design University where he majored in Fine Art, public and monumental painting. A four time award winning painter, Bravo has completed several notable public and private mural projects. He is the recipient of The Toronto Art Council’s Black Projects grant for 2022, The Ontario Arts Council creation grant for 2022, and is a consecutive winner of the city of Toronto’s prestigious TABIA mural award for years 2018 through to 2022. Jim Bravo lives and works in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

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