Shiva Family by Bharti Dayal Artist Name: Bharti Dayal
Item Title: Shiva Family (Madhubani / Mithila Painting)
Dimensions: 60 / 35'' (INCH)
Medium/Material: Acrylic Colours and Vegetable Dyes on Canvas
Year Made: 2019
History of Ownership: Acquired directly from the Artist
Signature: Yes. Bottom Right Corner
Location of the Item: INDIA
"The painting cannot be viewed at the exhibition"
MADHUBANI /MITHILA PAINTINGS ( MADHUBANI ART) :
THE UNIQUE ARTISTIC TRADITION OF MADHUBANI PAINTINGS ORIGINATED IN THE ANCIENT KINGDOM OF MITHILA, WHICH EXISTED IN THE REGIONS OF BIHAR JHARKHAND,NORTHEASTERN INDIA, FROM APPROXIMATELY 800 BCE TO 500CE. THE STYLE TRACES ITS ORIGIN TO THE GREAT INDIAN EPIC, RAMAYANA, WHICH MAY HAVE BEEN FIRST COMPOSED AROUND THE MID- SEVENTH TO SIX CENTURIES BCE . THE EPIC RELATES HOW KING JANAK OF MITHILA COMMISSIONED LOCAL ARTISTS TO PAINT MURALS AND DECORATIONS FOR THE WEDDING OF HIS BEAUTIFUL DIVINE DAUGHTER PRINCESS SITA, TO LORD RAMA. FROM THAT TIME FORWARD, THE PEOPLE OF MITHILA CREATED NUPTIAL CHAMBER (KOHBAR GHAR) PAINTINGS FOR THE ROOM IN WHICH THE NEWLYWEDS SPENT THEIR FIRST NIGHT OF CONJUGAL BLISS TOGATHER. HERE THE SYMBOL OF PAINTINGS CELEBRATES THE JOYS OF SEXUAL PLEASURE AND PROCREATION.
THE NARRATIVE AND PATTERN IN MADHUBANI ART INTERWINE TO PRESENT A BEAUTIFUL AESTHETIC TRADITION THAT HAS SURVIVED THE PASSAGE OF TIME AND HAS BEEN CARRIED FORWARD INTO THE MODERN ERA THROUGH THE EXCEPTIONAL TALENTS OF ARTISTS OF THE REGION. MADHUBANI ART HAS GRADUALLY COME TO SYMBOLISE WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT, AS THE WOMEN ARTISTS HAS CREATED THE IMAGE OF GOD AND GODDESSES WITH SO DIVINE IN FEELINGS THAT THE PAINTINGS HAVE CAPTURED THE HEARTS OF ART LOVERS AND COLLECTORS FROM AROUND THE GLOBE .
THE STYLE OF THE PAINTINGS ARE KATCHNI , BHARNI , GODNA ( TATOO ) TANTRIC, ARIPAN AND KOHBAR , ALTHOUGH THEY ALL RETAINED A VISUAL UNIFORMITY THROUGH THEIR FOCAS ON THE DEPICTION OF DIVINITIES , RITUALS , NATURAL ELEMENTS AND DAILY LIFE. TODAY, THE MADHUBANI ART IN THEIR GLOBALIZED FORMS ARE UNDERGOING CHANGES , AS PAINTERS EXPLORE NEW THEMES , MODES AND MEDIA .
MEDIUM :
THE TRADITIONAL MEDIUM AND COLOURS USED IN PAINTINGS WAS COWDUNG , RICE PASTE, CHARCOAL, GERU AND COLOURS EXTRACTED FROM FALLEN FLOWERS , INK AND PIGMENTS .WITH PEN BRUSH AND MATCHSTICK IS STILL GOING ON WITH THE ADDITION OF ACRYLIC COLOURS TO MAKE THE PAINTINGS PERFECT AND PERMANENTE.
THE PHILOSOPHY OF THE MADHUBANI ART :
THE FUNDAMENTAL PHILOSOPHY OF THIS BEAUTIFUL MADHUBANI ART IS BASED ON THE PRINCIPLE OF DUALISM , WHERE EACH PAIR OF OPPOSITE OR PARALLEL LINES RUNS TOGATHER TO COMPLETE A PICTURE, IN WHICH EVERYTHING IS SEEN AS ONE _ THE HOLISTIC TRUTH OF ONENESS _ THE UNIVERSE !!
IN FACT THESE PAINTINGS ARE SIMPLISTIC MANIFESTATIONS OF PHILOSOPHICAL HEIGHTS ACHIEVED BY INDIAN CIVILIZATION FOR THE POWER OF LOVE , LONGINGS AND PEACE _ A QUEST FOR ALL BEINGS .
Madhubani painting, also referred to as Mithila Painting (as it flourishes in the Mithila region of Bihar, India), is characterized by line drawings filled in by bright colours and contrasts or patterns since at least the 14th century. This ancient tradition, especially elaborated for marriages, continues today. This style of painting has been traditionally done by the women of the region, though today men are also involved to meet the demand. These paintings are popular because of their tribal motifs and use of bright earthy colours. These paintings are done with mineral pigments prepared by the artists. The work is done on freshly plastered or a mud wall. For commercial purposes, the work is now being done on paper, cloth, canvas etc. Cotton wrapped around a bamboo stick forms the brush. Black colour is obtained by mixing soot with cow dung; yellow from turmeric or pollen or lime and the milk of banyan leaves; blue from indigo; red from the kusam flower juice or red sandalwood; green from the leaves of the wood apple tree; white from rice powder; orange from palasha flowers. The colours are applied flat with no shading and no empty space is left. Figures from nature & mythology are adapted to suit their style. The themes & designs widely painted are of Hindu deities such as Krishna, Rama, Siva, Durga, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Sun and Moon, Tulasi plant, court scenes, wedding scenes, social happenings etc. Floral, animal and bird motifs, geometrical designs are used to fill up all the gaps. The skill is handed down the generations, and hence the traditional designs and patterns are widely maintained.
Madhubani painting, as a domestic ritual activity, was unknown to the outside world until the massive Bihar earthquake of 1934. House walls had tumbled down, and the British colonial officer in Madhubani District, William G. Archer, inspecting the damage "discovered" the paintings on the newly exposed interior walls of homes. Archer - later to become the South Asia Curator at London's Victoria and Albert Museum - was stunned by the beauty of the paintings and similarities to the work of modern Western artists like Klee, Miro, and Picasso. During the 1930s he took black and white photos of some of these paintings, the earliest images we have of them. Then in a 1949 article in the Indian art journal, Marg, he brought the wall paintings to public attention. Then a second natural disaster, a severe drought in the late 1960s, prompted the All India Handicrafts Board to encourage a few women in villages around Madhubani town to transfer their ritual wall paintings to paper as an income generating project. Drawing on the region's rich visual culture, contrasting "line painting" and "color painting" traditions, and their individual talents, several of these women turned out to be superb artists. Four of them were soon representing India in cultural fairs in Europe, Russia, and the USA. Their national and international recognition prompted many other women to begin painting on paper as well. By the late 1970s, the popular success of the paintings - aesthetically distinct from other Indian painting traditions - was drawing dealers from New Delhi offering minimal prices for mass produced paintings of the most popular divinities and three familiar scenes from the Ramayana. Out of poverty, many painters complied with the dealers' demands, and produced the rapid and repetitious images known as "Madhubani paintings." Nevertheless, with the encouragement of a number of outsiders - both Indian and foreign - other artists working within the same aesthetic traditions continued to produce the highly crafted, deeply individual and increasingly diverse work, now known as "Mithila Painting."
THE ETHNIC ARTS FOUNDATION in 1977, while conducting research in Madhubani, the American anthropologist, Raymond Owens, was stunned by the beauty of some of the paintings on paper. Aware that commercial dealers were grossly underpaying the artists for mass produced paintings he encouraged artists to take their time, do paintings they truly cared about, and offered to buy them for 5 to 10 times the dealers' prices. When Owens returned to the US he showed the paintings to fellow anthropologist, David Szanton, who was equally entranced by them. Together they agreed that when Owens returned to India he would continue to purchase the best paintings he could find for well over the dealers' prices, bring them to the US, mount exhibitions and sales, and return the profits to the painters, a second payment to encourage them to do their best work. Then in 1980, with several colleagues they established the Ethnic Arts Foundation (https://ethnicartsfoundation.com/about/) (EAF), a non-profit organization dedicated to sustaining the Mithila painting tradition, and most immediately, to hold the funds from sales until Owens could redistribute them to the artists on his next trip to India. After numerous trips to Madhubani, Owens died in 2000, but this system continues today. Over the years the EAF has purchased some 1800 paintings from more than 150 artists. It has organized numerous (even prize winning) exhibitions and sales in the US, South Africa, India, and even Iceland, in the process creating an international audience and market for the artists. It has sold some 900 paintings to individuals, collectors, and museums, and returned the profits - tens of thousands of dollars in rupees - to the painters whose paintings had sold. In the early 1980s, Owens also made two documentary films, "Five Painters" and the award winning "Munni," about the lives of the painters, and available from the University of Wisconsin South Asia Film Center. And in 2000, it obtained and subsidized large quantities of hand-made acid-free paper for the paintings. During a two-week visit to the region by members of the EAF in 2001/02, it became obvious that the continuation of the painting tradition was threatened by a growing generation gap. A number of middle aged and elderly painters were still active. However, most of the younger generation had new interests - computers, commerce, and urban employment - and had lost all interest in traditional activities like painting. However, intensive discussions with the artists suggested that a serious art school in Madhubani might reignite interest and train a new generation of young Mithila painters. With that in mind, and drawing on a small bequest left by Owens, the EAF established a free Mithila Art Institute (MIA) in Madhubani in 2003 to help develop the next generation of Mithila painters.
PROFILE
BHARTI DAYAL
A bridge in turning Madhubani craft into its art form, National award winning artist, Bharti Dayal has transformed this once dying craft into its contemporary art form. During this journey, she has represented the country and our art at various global platforms by amalgamating Hindu mythology and contemporary social, political and philosophical issues of today's day and age. Bharti sits at the forefront of this art form having won many awards and inspiring today’s generation to take pride in our history and creativity. Using mediums of newspapers, public platforms and social media, Bharti has invented and single handed by promoted the art forms contemporary and classical themes. Bharti's art has been a token of national pride to various president and prime minister of countries. From her days as a child in mithila through all the struggles in redefining and reviving this national art form while raising two children of her own, Bharti continues to be an asset to Indian art and culture.
Bharti has devoted a significant portion of her time in training over 1100 youth in this Art form for bringing in continual changes in their work to attract New Customers for the first purchase and ensure repeated purchase of Madhubani Paintings by old Customer . Price of Madhubanipaintings have gone up by an average of 5 times in 15 years due her tireless effort.
Due to her unabated devotion Madhubani Paintings have moved across the frontiers of India. Her Nine International exhibitions held across all 4 continents, exclusively depicting Madhubani Paintings, have received huge all round acclamation. An exhibition of 30 of her rare works is on in Belgium for a year now More than 30000 artists of Madhubani see her as their savoir and guide. She has taken up their cause and concerns at multi platforms and levels, fought aggressively and got them resolved.
Through fusion of ancient Madhubani Art Form and Modern Times,Bharti Dayal in her 40 year long voyage has not only revived this Art form but ensured that it gets a significant recognition and distinct positioning among leading Art forms of India.
Her works traverse every wide range. She depicts our ancient glory in novel ways in large format work. Simultaneouslyshe addresses the burning issue of today and tomorrow with equal jest to reach out to heart of young and old through Madhubani Paintings. Her works are displayed in public and private collections of rich and famous and they also find a place in Offices of Presidents, Prime Ministers and Senior Bureaucrats.
She has handled her detractors with patience and got them to come around and acknowledge the intense relevance of this Art form in
o bring together man and nature
o addressing social and economic distortions
o spreading message of peace, love and harmony
• Mithila Painting, a unique artistic tradition from the ancient kingdom of Mithila has a history steeped in the civilization of India . The paintings are simplistic manifestation of the philosophical heights achieved by our nation in yesteryears.
• Bhartl Dayal a child from the heartland of Mithila belongs to the School of Madhubani. An artist with a heart moulded in the original tradition of Mithila Paintings from a very young age, Smt, Dayal has invested her abundant energies to the cause of bringing back the past glory of this brilliant farm of human expression it is her ardent desire to reach this school of work across the frontiers of India. Smt. Dayal's quest Is twofold:
to assimilate the changing cultural, needs and tastes into the very essence of Madhubani Paintings and
to popularize this folk form and aid the economic development of the folk artisans to keep alive the rich cultural heritage of India.
• Bharti Dayal's Works are essentially an amalgamation of the ancient Madhubani Art Form and Modem limes, without deviating from the core features of the Mithila tradition. To share her ideas with the cognoscenti and after much persuasion from colleagues from this School of Art, Smt. Dayal is assembling a body of her contemporary creations over the past decade.
ACHIEVEMENTS
NATIONAL AWARD WINNER 2006
1. Participated in Gautemala (South America) exhibition for 75th year of India Independence celebration – 2022
2. National Award Winner - 2006
3. Created Ist NFT in Madhubani art (Tree of life) 2021
4. BIHAR GAURAV SAMMAN ( Icons of Bihar) on Bihar Diwas 2021 .
5. CENTER FOR WASHINGTON CULTURAL TRADITIONS has organized live interactions with Bharti Dayal an Indian National Award Winner 's insight into the changing trends and evolving forms of Madhubani painting 2021.
6. Work published in Vibrant Folk Art of Mithila _ Scientific Research , Salar Jung Museum. Ministry of Culture , Government of India Hyderabad .2020
7. Participated in EPCH VERTUAL SHOW July 2020
8. Buy a plate, Fill a plate . Participated in the Plated Project helps to fight hunger with Art . 2019
9. TED Talker 2019 on Philosophy of Madhubani Art.
10. Published in Pressreader for Asian Arts , Arts and Art style 2018.
11. Participated in ' Tree of Life ' Exhibition by 67 Masters from 16 Countries at Taiwan 2018.
12. Book design in Madhubani Art written by Harris Tobias 2018.
13. Guest Lecture on Madhubani Art at Tomorrow's India Global Summit 6th Oct 2018.
14. 200 students interacted for Madhubani paintings
15. Project Madhubani Art Exhibition at Span by MOSA Foundation 2017.
16. A celebration of the Forms of Devotion in Indian Art as seen via Tradition and Modernity 2017
17. Participated in Textile India 2017 Ahmedabad by Ministry of Textile.
18. Magic of Gifted Hands show cased in the French Fasion Capital Paris, France September 2016.
19. UNO Magazine fall 2016 – Cover Illustration by Bharti Dayal.
20. Illustrated Book the Money & Elephant Fables in Ancient Madhubani Art Tradition by Casita Press in 2016.
21. Exhibition of Madhubani Painting at the Conde Duque, Madrid, Spain, October 2016.
22. Exhibition and Workshop of Madhubani Painting at UNESCO, September 2016.
23. Kotak Mahindra Bank launches “Kotal Silk Inspire” Credit Card designed exclusively by Bharti Dayal, March 2016.
24. Celeberating India in Shanghai at China Art Musieam until February, 2016.
25. Publish book on Madhubani Art by Bharti Dayal through Niyogi Publication, 2016.
26. Exhibition Madhubani Art (Indian Art Series) Bharti Dayal, June 2015 to June 2016, Mosha Belgium, Durbey.
27. Painting Yashoda Krishna presented to Hon’ble Prime Minister Sh. Narender Modi by Chief Minister Sh. Nitish Kumar, July 2015 at Patna.
28. Mosa Exhibition, July 2015 at Belgium.
29. Honoured with Gandhi PriyadarshInt Award
30. Exhibited at INDIART GALLERY, Belgium,September 2013
31. Exhibited'Radha' at Gurgaon Hotel Galaxy, August 2013
32. Exhibited at Banyan Shade, Singapore, May 2013
33. Exhibited in Living Traditions London, an Indian Art Exhibition, April-May 2013.
34. Divinity through Humanity exhibition, at MUSEUM OF SACRED ART, Durbuy, Belgium, June 2012.
35. Honoured with The Vishist Bihari Samman amid festivities to commemorate 100 year of Bihar, March 2012.
36. Exhibited at Delhi s Winter CamivaI Dec 2011.
37. Exhibited at Tendence-messe, Frankfurt, Germany Aug 2011.
38. Bharti Dayal was invited to Hyderabad House for dinner with India PM, 2011
39. Her paintings displayed ih.Jaya Utsav Exhibition titled Sacred Geography & Aesthetic Expressions at Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, Matighar, New Delhi from 10thFeb to 10thMarch 2011 for celebrating Living Traditions of Mahabharata.
40. Rare collection of her "Radha Krishna Paintings" in Mithila style displayed at Nehru Centre, London from 1stFebruary to 11thFebruary,2011.
41. Participated in Madhubani Art Exhibition in commemoration of 61stRepublic Day of India, sponsored by The High Commission of India and Mahatma Gandhi Institute for Cultural Cooperation at Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, West Indies from 14thto 21stJanuary, 2011
42. Guest of Honour, UGC sponsored, International Seminar on Heritage Tourism, Vashi Mumbai.
43. Represented Mithila Painting of India during the CWG 2010.
44. Painting displayed at the INA Metro Station, Delhi One of its own kind Prestigious Art & Craft of India.
45. August 2010- International Woman entrepreneur award- 25thIndo-Thai Entrepreneurs Summit.
46. Awarded "Quality of excellence"- Achievers forum India.
47. Participant "Budapest International Fair" - Sep 2010. Budapest, Hungary.
48. Solo exhibition on Radha the Universal Power of Love, Longing and Peace at New Delhi under the auspices of Indian Council of Cultural Relations - India's most eminent Institution engaged in fostering Cultural Relations between India and rest of the world – 2010.
49. Set of Seven Special Paintings shipped for Radhadesh, Museum of Sacred Art, Belgium – 2010.
50. Participated in prestigious Wood Stock Festival Poland - 2008
51. Exhibited works in Handicraft and Gift Fair.(Greater Noida, New Delhi) organised by EPCH- 2008.
52. Displayed her paintings at Craft Exchange Program of SAARC Countries Meet at Delhi Hatt,Pitampura-2008.
53. Her painting 7 Tree of Life has been selected for display at Festival of India, Argentina-2008.
54. Exhibited her work at Pravasi Bharti Divas – 2007.
55. Participated to present her novel creations at Dillihat-2006, New Delhi.
56. Work selected for All India Fine Arts &Crafts Society's Annual All India Competition in 2003-05.
57. Silver Medal for Mithila painting by AVANTIKA in 2004.
58. Gold Medal for Mithila painting by AVANTIKA in 2003.
59. Achieved National Merit Award for Mithila Painting in 2002, 2005.
60. Three paintings selected for Prime Minister's House from C.C.I.C. of India.
61. Painting presented to Mr. Arun Shourie- IT and Telecommunications Minister.
62. Trained 30 young people in Industrial Department of Delhi.
63. Exhibition in American Embassy in 2003, 2004, 2005,2006, 2007.
64. Exhibition in Canadian Embassy in 2003.
65. In 2001, her painting has been given to Mrs. Seba Musharaff, wife of His Highness the President of Pakistan, Mr. Pervez Musharaff
66. Achieved Millennium Award from AlfIndia Art and craft Socielyin 2001.
67. Achieved State Award for year 1999-2000 in Mithila Painting.
68. Work selected In 9thAll India.Fine Arts and Crafts Society' Traditional Paintings competition.
69. Achieved Scholarship and award for the year 1997 from All India Fine Arts & Craft.
70. Has taught Mithila painting to 20 young people at her home at her expense.
71. Approved artist for C.C.I.0 (Central Cottage Industries Corporation).
72. Documentary Film made on her life and paintings by Sangha Production, released on France Television in March 1995. Film directed by Fredric Soften and Dominique Rabotteau.
73. Exhibited her work spanning the entire spectrum of Mithila forms in five distinct dimensions at AIFACS, New Delhi from 1stto 7thDecember, 1993.
74. A wall painting in original Madhubani tradition embellished at the residence of Mrs. Hema Murat Deora ai Lodhi Estate, New Delhi.
75. Has the distinction of achieving the highest sale of Madhubani work-from Bihar Emporium, NewDelhi in 1992-1993.
76. Sole approved artist in Delhi Emporium in the field of Madhubani Paintings.
77. Unique distinction of selling over 150 paintings to visiting tourists from abroad in last five years.
78. Decorated Bihar Pavilion wall during India International Trade Fair at New Delhi in the years 1991-97.
79. Selected by the organizing committee of International Print Congress, New Delhi and submitted 200 paintings to be distributed to visiting foreign dignitaries.
RICH REACH
Her work find place in the prestigious collections of :-
• Painting presented to Vice President of South America- Gautemala
• Office of the Prime Minister of India.
• Governor, Reserve Bank of India.
• Delhi Metro.
• Ministry of External Affairs, India.
• Minister of Commerce, US Embassy.
• First Secretary, US Embassy.
• Seba Musharraf Wife of President of Pakistan.
• Mosa Belgium.
• Museum of Eminence, Norway.
• Host of private collections in USA, France, Canada, Australia and West Indies.
• Hema Murli Deora W/o Mr. Murli Deora, Minister of Petroleum and Gas.
• Mr SS Hitkari a prominent collector at Delhi.