Warli Tribal Art (beginners’ level) workshop with New Convent Institute Banihal
Continuing its efforts to build creative thinking and confidence in children from remote villages through the use of disruptive technologies as part of its ‘unleash your inner artist’ , the JK Arts Foundation facilitated over 300 students of New Convent Institute, Banihal in Warli Tribal Art workshop that was conducted on February 14, 2022 over zoom.
The students were very positive regarding both their participation and experience with the art workshop because it was their first experience of exploring and practising the processes of art through the eyes of a professional artist. “It was a great opportunity for us to learn to be creative by professionally performing and pursuing a new vocation from the comfort of our home,” the students said.
The teacher in charge told the JK Arts Foundation team that he and his colleagues have established that their students are interested in the art activities. “My colleague and I feel positive that together we can make a difference in the lives of hundreds of students and we are looking forward to organising more events in the future,” the teacher in charge said.
On this occasion, the JK Arts Foundation team said that they are determined to continue with their organisation’s vision to ensure that every single child has the best possible art education and reiterated JKAF’s commitment and determination to reach 5 million children by 2025.
It is worth mentioning that the main aim of the ‘unleash your inner artist’ program is to enable children to discover their creative expressions, become confident and optimistic to bring a positive change in their homes, neighborhoods and communities.
About Warli Tribal art form
The Warli Tribal Art Form, which is native to Maharashtra, is known for its simple wall paintings. It is considered one of the best examples of folk art. Basic geometrical shapes such as square, circle, and triangle are employed in this. On a dark red background, these artworks are carved in white colour (bamboo used as a brush). Hunting, festivals, fishing, farming, dancing, and other everyday scenes are depicted in the picture.
The Warlis are an indigenous tribe from Gujarat and Maharashtra who are famed for their basic wall paintings, which are part of a long-standing tradition dating back thousands of years. Warli art is known for its basic yet distinctive depictions of life, which include geometrical figures that symbolise humans and animals. Hunting, fishing, and farming scenes, as well as festivals and dances, are depicted in the paintings.
About school’s location
Banihal has long been renowned as the connecting point between Jammu and Srinagar, thanks to the 2.5-kilometer long Jawahar tunnel and, more recently, the Banihal-Qazigund rail tunnel [India's longest and Asia's third longest].
Banihal is surrounded by rock and snow mountains, and the temperature can drop to below 10 degrees Celsius in the winter. The climate of Banihal is temperate, with nice summers and cold winters. The landscape is rugged, and approximately 96 percent of the population lives in rural areas, relying primarily on rain-fed agriculture. Vegetables and crops: Maize, rice, pluses, and other crops are the most important. Fruits such as apple, walnut, apricot, and pear, as well as vegetables such as pumpkin, turnip, cucumber, chilli, onion, spinach, and others, are cultivated in various parts of the Banihal vicinity.