Wednesday, March 16, 2005

Warli Paintings


Triangular human beings and animals with stick-like hands and legs dance in a loose, rhythmic pattern against an earthy background.

Warli paintings are popular because they are so alive, one can almost hear the drums beating and the tribals singing their folk songs.

Folk paintings from Maharashtra, they are traditionally done on mud, charcoal or cow-dung, using only white chalk powder made from rice-flour. The seasonal cycle, integral to the survival of the tribes, is a central motif. Circles are another motif of Warli paintings, representing the unending circle of life, and carrying forward this spiral movement that gives everlasting joy to the human race.

What you see above is my rather bastardised first attempt at Warli painting (not to mention quite decent first attempt at painting a wall!!) - if compared to an authentic painting (like the one you see
here on Akshay's blog) it looks rather empty and spaced out, and well not authentic. But hell I'm so proud of it!

I'm fishing for compliments people!
;-)

9 comments:

M said...

I saw a few paintings similar to this one on the way to Mysore from Bangalore. I think it was in some restuarant with a Traditional Kannadiga theme going on. Can't really place the name now...perhaps Kamath something.

Sreekesh Menon said...

I like. Good first attempt. Dont stop there, now paint the neighbours walls ;-)

Unknown said...

A Lovely Simulacrum.Very Artistic, goes well with the Udaipuri window.

Anonymous said...

pretty. so much better than the fake warli painting in college.......

livinghigh said...

u got ure compliments, luv! ;-) great piece of work!
and dat other comment: i once read a book which also spoke abt the role of the dreyfus affair and how it inspired israel. It was written by a Palestinian, and he was quite bitter - so he wrote about how there was no justification in it, and the whole thing, including the Dreyfus Affair, was this great conspiracy by a minority to carve out Israel. And now, everyone is so scared of being anti-semitic, that if u even oppose Israel on any ground, they'll accuse u of being anti-semitic! ;-) interesting read. ;-)

Elixir said...

oh its real neat!!
and fantabulous for ur very first attempt!!!

. : A : . said...

You don't need to fish for compliments!

Until I read that you had made it, I thought that this was an example and a picture you had taken.

Good stuff.

:-)

G Shrivastava said...

Merci beaucoup everyone! :-)

(*blushes in delight*)

QuaTros said...

Lovely stuff, I must say I also did'nt expect to hear that you painted those yourself. Great going indeed!