Folk Art

Folk Art Is An Expression Of Folk Culture In The Form Of Visual Art Which Is, Generally, Passed On Within Families From Generation To Generation- Through Discussion, Demonstration, And Practice- Or Self-Taught. In Simple Words, It Is The Art Made By Common People Like Peasants, Artisans And Tradesmen Living In Rural Areas Of Industrialised Society. Folk art Is Usually Originated And Practised By The Indigenous Community Of A Region, Nation Or A Place To Represent And Preserve Their Age-Old Shared Community Values, Traditions, Beliefs, Tastes, Collective Action, And Their Daily Life Aspects.

Folk Art Was First Accepted In The Late 19th Century, In Europe, As The Peasant Art- The Art Of Land. With The Passage Of Time, The Sense Of Romanticism Attached To The Life And Art Of Common People Led This Artform To Be Characterised As Anything Primitive, Homemade And Ordinary. Every Form Of Folk-Art Has Its Own Way Of Expressing Its Historical Tradition And Taste For The Survival Of Its Cultural Heritage Through Its Use Of A Set Of Colours And Patterns. Even Though Folk Art Keeps On Passing From Generation To Generation Yet New Themes And Motifs Keep On Emerging And Evolving From The Old Ones With The Change In Circumstances.

A Folk Artist’s Individual Vision Also Plays A Role In The Transmission Of These Evolved Meaning, Motifs And Themes. Folk Art Is Known To Be Naïve In Its Approach Since It Often Misses Proportion, Learned Skills And Perspectives, Unlike Other Polished Artforms. It Is Often Expressed Through The Usage Of Bold Figures, Repetitive Patterns And Vibrant Shades Of Colours. The Most Common Colours Used In Folk Art Painting Are Shades Of Red, Brown, Black And Green. Earlier, Many Of These Colours Were Made From Plants, Vegetables, Fruits And Mud. It Is Mostly Hand Crafted And Designed In Different Yet Familiar Shapes Plus Sizes With The Use Of Materials At Hand. Moreover, It Is Produced In Small Quantities And Considered To Be Decorative Yet Utilitarian, Since It Is Created To Serve Some Function In Daily Household Life. Folk Art Painting Is Not Only Practised For Its Aesthetics And Uniqueness But For The Purpose That Is Attached To It Since Time Immemorial. For The Folk Artists There Is Absolutely No Reason To Pass On This Art Without It Serving A Purpose, It Is Necessary For This Art Form To Have A Meaning Attached To It.

Folk Art Is Not Limited To Paintings Only But Is Also Practised In The Forms Of Murals, Sculptures, Wooden Carvings, Pottery, Cutlery Like Cups And Dishes, Needlework, Jewellery, Metalwork Like Weathervanes, Miniatures, Textiles Like Quilts, Toys And So On Which Form The Tangible Part Of Folk Art, As Well As Music, Galleries, Dance And Narration Which Form The Intangible Part. Most Famous Examples Include folk art Madhubani Painting From India which is also called famous folk art of biharmithila painting, Ore Mountain Folk Art From Germany, Slovenian Painted Beehive Panels, Tapestry Paintings Called Rosemaling, Also Known As Kurbits, From Scandinavia, Minhwa From Korea, Mingei From Japan, Artesanía From Mexico And Qínqíshūhuà From China.

Indian folk art has had a rich history. Jamini Roy is one of the artists known for working extensively in Indian folk art painting, especially creative folk art painting as he mixed both western and Indian art styles. Rajasthani folk art painting, Karnataka folk art painting, folk art paintings of gujarat, folk art warli painting and folk art pithora painting are a few famous folk arts alive in the country. Many tribes have been Painting folk art of Jharkhand on their walls and keeping it alive. Folk art painting of India has included deities giving rise to folk art ganesha painting. Nowadays we can find easy folk art painting courses organised by artists to encourage folk art among youth.