What I Want spotlights six indigenous women artists and their hopes for a better tomorrow

What occurs when indigenous women artists from throughout India come collectively to share their goals and aspirations? They create artwork that tells their tales, and what they hope for all women: entry to training, the house to nurture goals, construct robust feminine friendships, and way more. 

An artist residency in Bengaluru final yr introduced collectively six such artists — Gitanjali Das, Japani Shyam, Kamta Tahed, Kritika Joshi, Lado Bai, and Minakshi Vayeda — and their artworks have now gone into What I Want, a e book by Pratham Books. Spotlighting artwork varieties corresponding to Gond, Pithora, Bhil, Warli, phad, and pattachitra, the e book has every artist sharing their one ‘want’. 

For Warli artist Minakshi Vayeda, her “want” was ‘the solidarity of female friendships, where we can rely on each other’. Beautifully illustrated with women collectible figurines working, enjoying and dancing collectively, the artist says she drew from her on a regular basis life within the village. “Women are a part of every activity: be it making art together, meeting at weddings, or conversations with neighbours. At the workshop, we were asked to think about child-friendly themes and I was instantly drawn to friendship as it is the closest to my heart,” says Minkashi, who relies in Ganjadgaon, Maharashtra, including that the portray was finished on paper, with a cow dung base.

Minakshi Vayeda’s artwork depicting feminine friendships
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Minakshi Vayeda

“Although most artists may have stories to tell, we get them illustrated by someone else,” says Canato Jimo, illustrator and artwork director at Pratham Books. “We thought of getting these artists together for a workshop, and get them to tell us their story in any form,” he says, including how “women artists don’t get noticed as much as their male counterparts”. 

Japani Shyam’s Gond paintings themed on ‘Assert’
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Japani Shyam

At the three-day workshop in March 2024, the artists had been taken for a screening of Lapaata Ladies, adopted by days of creating concepts, sharing tales, and studying. “It was the first time we had such a workshop, and it was a great learning experience for us. We got an insight into each of their art forms and intricacies,” says Canato. “We sat down and listened to them. All of them had something specific, passionate to talk about,” he says, including how whereas the artists had been conscious that the workshop would culminate in a e book, there was no particular transient, giving strategy to an “open, organic process”. After tough concepts had been mentioned, the artists got a couple of months to ship their last paintings and textual content.

Kritika Joshi’s paintings depicting a younger lady dancing in entrance of the mirror effortlessly, and her dad and mom noticing it and giving her a pair of ghungroo
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Kritika Joshi

Kritika Joshi, a Thirtieth-generation Phad artist, was the youngest of the six artists. A graduate of the Indian Institute of Crafts and Design in Jaipur, she is thought for Phad work on material and paper that use earthy shades made with stone. “I chose the theme ‘Nurture’ to showcase how parents need to develop their child’s natural skillset. My art depicts a young girl dancing in front of the mirror effortlessly, and her parents notice it and give her a pair of ghungroo (anklets). The child is overjoyed, and seen dancing in the rain with her dog,” says Kritika, who loved her time on the residency. “All the other women were married, and had stories to share about marriage, children, etc. It was interesting to hear about their dreams, and what they have achieved.”

Kamta Tahed’s Pithora paintings depicting ‘Play’
| Photo Credit:
Kamta Tahed

Akin to award-winning Bhil artist Lado Bai, the oldest from the group at 58 years. Known for her paintings that takes inspiration from her pure environment, village life, rituals, and festivals. For What I Want, Lado Bai selected to theme her artwork on ‘Protect’, depicting two women defending a tree from being reduce. “If we cut the jungles, how will we live?” says the artist, including how timber are protected in her city, Jhabua in Madhya Pradesh. “It took me five days to finish the painting with acrylic paints on canvas.”

Priced at ₹80, What I Want is on the market on prathambooks.org, and storyweaver.org.in