Celebrating the Indian cultural legacy at the India Art Fair 2024 in New Delhi included a diverse array of traditional art styles. Here are a few of the event’s highlights:
Prakash Chandra’s painting Pattachitra
Gallery: Booth E17, Ragini
As a keepsake for guests, this Pattachitra painting shows the shrine of Lord Jagannath in Puri, Orissa.
Pattachitra paintings, which originated in Odisha and depicted topics such as Lord Jagannath’s temple, are traditional art forms that were used as mementos for visitors to the Jagannath temple in Puri. One example of one of these paintings is the one by Prakash Chandra at the fair.
Devi in Various Forms by Pushpa Kumari, Lado Bai, and Others
Ojas Art Gallery, Booth E16
A variety of artists displayed sculptures and paintings that depicted many goddess forms, such as the Madhubani and Das Mahavidya paintings.
The depictions of many goddess forms by artists such as Lado Bai and Pushpa Kumari showcase the paintings of Das Mahavidya and Madhubani at the fair, reflecting India’s diverse cultural and religious traditions.
Painting in miniature by Mahaveer Swami
Gallery: Booth E13, Inherited Arts Forum
Description: Miniature painting in the Bikaner style depicting stories from the life of Lord Krishna.
With a long history in India, especially in areas like Bikaner, the miniature painting style—best represented by the works of Mahaveer Swami—depicts elaborate stories from Hindu mythology and epics, such as the life of Lord Krishna.
Phad Painting
Gallery: Booth E17, Ragini
Traditionally, Rajasthani art has portrayed religious topics such as Hanuman Chalisa.
Phad painting, a traditional Rajasthani art technique on display at the festival, preserves cultural traditions through visual storytelling by frequently recounting tales from religious texts like the Hanuman Chalisa and folklore.
Santosh Das’s painting of Madhubani
Ojas Art Gallery, Booth E16
An assortment of Madhubani paintings featuring eleven Hindu tantric Mahavidyas.
Deeply ingrained in Bihar’s cultural legacy, madhubani paintings, such as those by Santosh Das at the fair, are renowned for their elaborate designs and brilliant colors, frequently portraying subjects similar to the ten Mahavidyas in Hindu tantric art.
