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Writer's pictureAvani Pandey

Warli Art in India: Tradition and Modernization

Avani Pandey

October 2024

 

Introduction

Warli art is the age-old tribal art emanating from the Western Ghats in India which has gripped the world in its own visual language with cultural connotations. This ancient art, practised by a tribe called Warli in northern Maharashtra, reflects the life of the village, belief, and rituals followed by these indigenous people (Pandya, 2020).

The Warli aesthetic is essentially minimalistic in character; simple geometric shapes represent the circles, triangles, and squares that illustrate day-to-day activities, religious functions, and the natural environment. Warli art has retained purity all these years as it evolved without losing its key visual imagery.


However, it has changed a lot with modernization and globalization. This research paper covers the origin of Warli art, the symbolism involved in the art, and the cultural significance of the same in furthering its adaptation into a modern setting through exploration of how traditional themes are being reinterpreted by modern artists in an effort to be acceptable to a wider audience (Pandya, 2020).


Historical Origins and Cultural Evolution of Warli Art

Ancient Roots and Historical Development

The history of Warli art can be traced as far back as the prehistoric period due to some archaeological researches. This art form’s style can be traced back to ancient rock paintings in the Western Ghats region which can be dated at around 2500BC (Pandya, 2020). Some of the oldest forms of art that have been around for thousands of years includes this warli art in the Western Ghats region, along with its culture and religion, which also produced impressive rock art that is characterized by geometric shapes that easily represent a story. Modern forms of Warli art today represent continuous artistic development from ancient times.


Like other ethnic groupings, Warli aesthetics experienced development that was linked with their historical trajectory. To begin with, it performed the function of showing particular events, as well as enthroning spiritual spells, but progressively developed into highly organized visuals that encapsulated their knowledge as a community and their practice as a culture (Chari, 2015). The style in which various aspects of culture are embraced and showcased through art forms indicates the level of sophistication these original owners of the land had thanks to the knowledge they had possessed. The Warli community is one of the widest communities in India and it is found just outside of Mumbai. Interestingly, even though this community is close to one of the major cities of India, they are opposed to almost all aspects of modern life. The Warli painting style was not familiar until the late nineteenth century. They theorize that the tribal art style could trace its history as early as the tenth century A.D. Warli art form derives from the idea of worshipping Mother Nature and many elements which strike those volume are captured in Warli painting. Their main economic activity is agriculture and with it sustains the majority of tribe’s nourishment. A lot of reverence exists towards nature and the animals since they are the bearers of life’s necessities. Like ancient humans painted on the walls of caves, Warli artists make their clay huts the background of their paintings.


Geographical and Cultural Context

The Warli community hails from the rugged western Ghat areas of India. It is an indigenous community with deep roots in its geographical location. The way of life of the Warli is primarily based on agriculture, fishing, and collecting various edibles in the forests. The same applies to their art, at the very basic level it is an art form that depicts nature, daily activity and societal ceremonies alongside s a deep sense of faith.


Warli art is very effective in the depiction of the connection that the people have with these natural elements. Warli people are known to believe in and even worship the natural elements such as the sun, moon, and rain just as most ancient indian tribes do. This spiritual connection is reflected in their pieces of art as-well.


For the most part, Warli painting is an art that is practiced against the backdrop in which the sun, the moon, and the rain are actually worshiped red mud available from the seashore; white pigment made from gum and rice flour white local houses painted with a mud called lime (Chari, 2002). This approach, limited palette and geometrical figures have resulted, on one level, in what one may describe as ‘primitive’ rendering or ‘crude’ but which has become contemporary – this is Warli art. Likewise, the art does not emphasize the facial features nor does it focus on other extraneous details which are associated with the femininity of any female but which seldom bore reference values. In this regard, the art can as well be described as minimal.

The Impact and Significance of Warli Art

Warli art does not merely serve its icing-on-the-cake purpose; its cultural significance stretches beyond that. It has acted as a living link between ancient tribal heritage and modern artistic expression. In contrast to many more formal traditional art forms that have succumbed to decay with time, Warli art has withstood the tests of time and has been rather adaptive to modern contexts while remaining fundamentally Warli. In this modern, fast-paced climate of globalization, the very essence of cultural continuity instructs how indigenous art forms can remain relevant and alive today.


The socio-economic impact of Warli art has worked wonders for its practitioners and their communities. As the art became rightly appreciated in urban markets and international galleries, it opened up new economic doors for Warli artists, many of whom have moved on from being subsistence farmers to being acknowledged artists with sustainable incomes. This economic advancement has acted to crystallize the art by creating its newfound relevancy among the younger generation, thus empowering rural communities to strike a balance between their cultural practices and modernity's pressures.


Perhaps the most significant development in contemporary Warli art has become a powerful medium to reflect social and environmental concerns of contemporary life. Contemporary Warli artists have shaped the traditional visual dialect to tackle pressing issues such as climate change, urbanization, and social justice, demonstrating the incredible adaptability of the art. This evolution has transformed Warli art from a simple traditional expression into an active mode of contemporary communication that can span cultural divides, conveying multi-layered messages through its minimalist aesthetic. The ability of Warli art to address contemporary concerns while remaining essentially traditional makes it particularly relevant to global discussions of sustainable development and cultural preservation.

Warli Art in Contemporary Times

In the same way, Warli art started dating back for hundred years ages has been changed and improved to do justice to the current situation. Warli art has over time been more appreciated and publicized beyond the long existing walls that restricted it only to the Tribal belts of Maharashtra and even to open up to people who have no idea of its existence in domestic and overseas art shows. This discusses the warli art undergoing modernization and utilising the traditional motifs for the purposes of contemporary art and at the same time preserving the cultural elements be it ever so little.


Redesigning Warli Art to Suit the Modern Times

The charm of Warli art, which until some time was popular on the walls, is now liked on canvas, paper, textiles, and in some cases using even the computer that it is practiced in homes and offices including the public sectors. This development in contemporary circles has also helped Warli artists to be more adventurous by for example using acrylic paints other than the traditional mud as they still focus on the simple portrayal of objects.


Along the same lines, the contemporary Warli paintings now involve new issues such as industrialization, consumerism and pollution. However, despite these changes there is a core ingredient of Warli which is concerned with nature, family and traditional metaphors. For example, the usual features of a round dance in the Warli paintings have been taken over in the pictures, adaptations show, troupes dancing or conducting such gatherings, which are socially relevant and have a contemporary appeal.


Reimagining Traditional Warli Art Within the Scope of Fashion and Design

One of the most popular uses of the changed Warli painting is in styles of garments and interior decoring. After all, the most modern initiatives of the present day have led some specific designers to the Warli art which they have incorporated in their clothing and home accessories for instance. The common young people wearing Illi, Scajii and Warli dresses are simply who loved the compact style of the paintings and enjoyed the Warli painting.

Figure --. Modern Warli Adaptation by Avani Pandey

Moreover, Warli painting is much visible in graphic and brand development as product packaging, logo and advertisements even some companies use Warli inspired designs. This new wave suggests that people are retaliating against the non-existent cultural imposition by clamoring and celebrating the indigenous art forms. Here I have made my own reimagination of a modern Warli with influences from outside of India:






Works Cited

Chari, Mrinalini. The Journey of Warli Art: From Tribal Walls to Contemporary Canvases. Heritage Publications, 2015.

Mashe, Jivya Soma. Warli: Art and Culture of the Warlis. Tribal Arts Forum, 2002.

Malikar, Pravin. "Warli Art: A Reflection of Nature and Tribal Life." Indian Folk Art Journal, vol. 9, no. 2, 2017, pp. 45-58.

Pandya, Asha. "Warli Art in Modern Times: Commercialization and Cultural Identity." Journal of Tribal Studies, vol. 15, no. 1, 2020, pp. 88-102.

Singh, Radhika. "The Modernization of Warli Art: Challenges and Opportunities." Contemporary Indian Art Review, vol. 12, no. 3, 2018, pp. 34-47.

Memeraki. "Warli Art: Tribal Art of India." Memeraki, https://www.memeraki.com/blogs/posts/warli-art-tribal-art-of-india. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.

Himanshu Art Institute. "About Indian Art: Warli Painting from Western Ghats of India." Himanshu Art Institute, https://www.himanshuartinstitute.com/art-and-craft-articles/drawing-painting-art-and-craft-news-n-articles-in-india/about-indian-art-warli-painting-from-western-ghats-of-india-3.jpg. Accessed 20 Oct. 2024.

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