Many Visions, Many Versions showcases works from four major indigenous artistic traditions in India: the Gond and Warli communities of central India, the Mithila region of Bihar, and the narrative scroll painters of West Bengal.

The exhibition features 47 exceptional paintings and drawings selected from private collections in the United States and Europe by 24 significant indigenous artists including Jangarh Singh Shyam, Jivya Soma Mashe, Sita Devi, and Swarna Chitrakar.

The exhibition explores the breadth of cultural traditions in India, revealing a dynamic aesthetic that remains deeply rooted in traditional culture, yet vitally responsive to issues of global concern. Rather than separating the art into sections distinguished by tribal and cultural affinities, the curators intentionally display the paintings thematically, accentuating the shared cultural features and contemporary concerns of these four communities that underlies the diversity of the artists’ unique expressive forms, techniques, and styles. The exhibition is divided into four broad categories: Myth and Cosmology, Nature—real and imagined, Village Life, and Contemporary Explorations. For American audiences eager to know more about Indian art, Many Visions, Many Versions offers an opportunity for viewers of all ages to learn about life and culture in India through these remarkable artworks.

Sponsors

Althea & Clayton Brodine Museum Fund, First Tennessee Foundation, and UT’s Ready for the World initiative, Knox County, the City of Knoxville, and the Arts and Heritage Fund.

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Many Visions, Many Versions: Art from Indigenous Communities in India Catalog, Published on Oct 9, 2015, Catalog published in conjunction with the exhibition at William Paterson University, Wayne, New Jersey 07470 Nov. 1, 2015 thru Dec. 11, 2015.

Faculty Guide for college-level education.

Many Visions, Many Versions: Art from Indigenous Communities in India is organized by BINDU modern Gallery and toured by International Arts & Artists, Washington, DC. The exhibition is curated by Drs. Aurogeeta Das and David Szanton with assistance from consulting curator Jeffrey Wechsler.

The exhibition is sponsored by the Althea & Clayton Brodine Museum Fund, First Tennessee Foundation, and UT’s Ready for the World initiative, with additional support from Knox County, the City of Knoxville, and the Arts and Heritage Fund.