Warli Art: Ancient Indian art form currently exhibited at V&A Museum of Childhood

Warli Art is like a visual language, which depicts the cultures, life and traditions of Adivasi tribes from India. The art form stretches back as far as 3000 BC. Warli Art has been exhibited in India, Japan , Europe and America.

There is currently an exhibition of such visual art and workshop at V&A Museum of Childhood at Bethnal Green.

Ramesh Henadin [right in below photo] is one of the featured artists who obtained his skills from his father, the head of village who conducted village ceremonies. He watched the village woman paint Dev Chowk, or deity square. He studied at Mumbai and has exhibited widely in India and UK.

 

 

Traditional Warli art used simple natural materials such as cloth, rice paste for white colours, and cow dung for background. As times evolved, materials enhanced and acrylics paints are use currently. However the painting still remain monosyllabic and resembles ancient Egyptian and Aboriginal art.

 

Below is a selection of painting. For more details about the event, please visit V&A Museum of Childhood Warli Art page.