Paul Presha/Contributing Writer
For many millennia the ancient subcontinent of India has produced some of the world’s most prolific and awe-inspiring works of art. This classical tradition has continued into modernity, with contemporary Indian artists continuing to create truly breathtaking pieces.
While the diverse indigenous tribes of India as we know it today express their talents with different techniques and stylistic designs, the shared ancestral bloodline to the heart of their motherland is apparent in the common cultural features of their art.
Unfortunately, the practical bounds of geography can make it difficult for the average individual to access and appreciate the indigenous art of India.
Fortunately for that individual, support from the Jane Hsiao Asian Art Endowment has made it possible for the Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum to collaborate with BINDU Modern Gallery and International Arts & Artists, Washington D.C. to bring “Many Visions, Many Versions: Art from Indigenous Communities in India” to FIU’s Modesto Maidique Campus.
“Many Visions, Many Versions” offers audiences an unparalleled opportunity to view and appreciate the art of four major indigenous traditions in India. Showcasing art from the Gond and Warli communities of central India, the Mithila region of Bihar, and the narrative scroll painters of West Bengal, the collection features 47 original paintings and drawings by 24 momentous indigenous Indian artists including Jangarh Singh Shyam, Jivya Soma Mashe, Sita Devi and Swarna Chitrakar, among others.
While each of these artists may hail from a different background their reverence for their collective homeland is clearly exhibited in their art which displays a rightfully proud and poised national identity. 
In a heartening move to highlight the comunal cultural concerns of the different artists and their the curators of “Many Visions, Many Versions” have circumvented conventional approaches and chosen to organize the distinct works of these artists thematically instead of by tribe or geographical location. The exhibition is divided into the categories of: Myth and Cosmology, Nature, Village Life and Contemporary Explorations.
For anyone eager to learn about contemporary Indian art, “Many Vsion, Many Versions” offers a glance into the rich cultural traditions being kept alive in one of the world’s most ancient and engaging societies.
“Many Visions, Many Versions” will be available to the public at the Frost from June 16 until Sept. 9. Admission to the exhibition opening is free.
Photo courtesy of Tamica Jean-Charles.
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