THE INDIAN FOLK ART OF THE ANTHROPOCENE SPEAKS LOUDER THAN WORDS

Abstract

This study is an effort to highlight the potential for art, particularly specifically folk art, to alter our perception of the natural world.  It considers the Anthropocene, the age in which Earth is coping with the effects of calamitous human actions, and investigates whether or not Indian Folk Art may help. According to the study, a posthumanist critical aesthetic has always been present in folk art.  These creative styles' depictions of nature may provide us with powerful answers to the Anthropocene. The first part of the article provides a critical posthumanist analysis of the relationship between Folk Art and the natural world.  In both its subject matter and its medium, folk art reflects the Anthropocene's interconnectedness with nature. The next chapters examine several types of tribal and folk art, delving into the ways in which they reflect prevailing themes and the relationship between human culture and the natural world.  Some folk paintings and tribal art at the 2018 India Art Fair are also discussed in the article. This dissertation focuses on four significant folk art styles (Gond, Pattachitra, Madhubani, and Warli), although the claims it makes are universally applicable to folk art as a whole.