A liking for the traditional

The concept of using Indian folk or traditional art pieces as part of interior decoration might not be that popular in other cities anymore. However, Bangaloreans still prefer to keep things Indian. Whether it is typical Indian art by big names like Raja Ravi
Verma or folk-art murals, people in the City love to display these sort of items in their houses.

Artists from various parts of the country feel that Bangalore has a very good market for Indian art — especially folk art.

Ashok Kumar Das, an artist who specialises in Madhubani and the gondana style of painting, points out that the demand for such art forms never goes down in Bangalore.

“I always manage to sell almost all my paintings in Bangalore. There is a huge demand for such art pieces in the City. People never ask me to add a contemporary touch to these folk styles; they prefer them in the original form. Some even ask me to paint with vegetable colours, much like the original style,” he informs.

Manas Acharya, who is an art collector, says that the popularity of folk art in the City is so high that artists are always ready to exhibit their work here.

“Bangaloreans have very good taste. They have an eye for good work and care for originality. Artists are ever ready to exhibit their work here and in fact, look for opportunities to come down to the City. Even artists from rural parts of the country are enthusiastic about showcasing their work here,” he says.

Some Bangaloreans agree that they prefer keeping antique and traditional art pieces in their homes over buying art from all over the world.

“There is such variety in Indian art. From the north to the south, our country is filled with some exquisite pieces of art. I have some paintings by Raja Ravi Verma in my house and I am proud that I possess the works of such an eminent painter. I also have some terracotta murals from West Bengal, which I am very proud of. They are more precious to me than art from anywhere around the world,” says Keya, a homemaker.

Preeti, a business woman, notes that Indian art has something unique about it — such as the vibrant hues and the sheer finesse with which it is created.

“On a personal level, I have grown up seeing Indian art all around me. I don’t have any knowledge about European art. I have several dokhra (artifacts made with bronze) pieces at my place, which look beautiful and have an aesthetic value. More than anything, it is the bright and vibrant colours of Indian art that catch my eye. Whether it is Madhubani paintings or the Kashmiri papier-mache artifacts, all of them are different and showcase our traditions,” she sums up.