Vibrance of life
Details
Artform
Traditional Bhil Art, Madhya Pradesh
Artist
Bhuri Bai
Dimensions
49 x 36 In.
Medium
Acrylic on Handmade Sheet
Framing
Unframed
Learn More
The Painting
While the theme of the ‘Tree of Life’ is often used, one cannot doubt the power it holds as a symbol. This is further highlighted by this fresh take on the topic by Padma Shri-winning Bhil artist Bhuri Bai. Here the artist has used the traditional Bhil art style of densely packed dots and lines to form the heart of the composition. The eponymous tree of life forms a double helix in the centre of the composition with each section containing a part of the environment. Through this symbol, Bhuri Bai can construct a hopeful vision for the world where the disparate parts of the world can coexist in harmony. The background of the piece is a riot of colors. Vines and animals intermingle alluding to the complex and varied nature of our world.
The Artform
"Bhil art, a captivating tribal art form from central India, boasts a rich history deeply connected to the Bhil people's way of life. Traditionally adorning mud walls and shrines, these paintings expressed their beliefs and connection to nature through a simple style. Bold outlines, flat perspectives, and a limited palette of natural colors depict animals, symbolic of the natural world, and scenes from daily life or mythology. The use of dots, in vibrant colors distinct from Gond art, adds texture and depth to these narratives, offering a glimpse into Bhil traditions and customs. In recent times, Bhil art has expanded beyond walls, finding expression on cloth, paper, and other surfaces, captivating a wider audience and preserving the rich cultural heritage of the Bhil people. "
The Artist
Born in 1968, Bhuri Bai made her first wall painting at the age of ten in her village in the district of Jhabua, which lies on the border between Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. After moving to Bhopal to find work she met Jagdish Swaminathan, artist, theoretician, and co-founder of Bharat Bhavan, who became her mentor. Bhuri Bai is the first woman in her tribe to paint on paper and canvas. She paints composition of fields in bright colors like paper cut-outs, sprinkled with colored dots. Her subjects highlight humorous conflicts between man vs nature as well as that of ravaged lands, and domestic and wild environments interspersed together. Bhuri Bai has participated in many exhibitions, including Freedom at the Cima Gallery in Calcutta in 2008, Now That The Trees Have Spoken at the Pundole Gallery in Mumbai in 2009, and Other Masters of India at the Musee du Quai Branly in Paris in 2010. One of her paintings was auctioned at Sotheby’s New York in 2007. She was awarded Padma Shri, the fourth highest civilian honor in 2021.
Provenance
The painting has been created by Bridge Bharat’s master artist partners.
Customizations
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Shipping and Delivery
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Other details
"The price you see is for an unframed painting. If you want us to custom frame the artwork, please drop us a message. We highly encourage this, framing is an art by itself :) The artwork you will receive is as close to the original artwork as possible but as with all things handmade, there may be minute differences in color and motifs, truly rendering each artwork one of a kind. Trust the process! "