As beautiful as art is, it ranks below human survival. Yet, occasionally, the struggle to survive can lead to unexpected creative explorations. For Sundeep Bhandari, founder of Gondwana Art Project, the COVID-19 pandemic was one such moment. “We had been working with tribal artists since 2019, when the pandemic struck. Suddenly, these indigenous artists found their livelihoods stopped completely since the markets were shut. It was then that we decided to expand our work on the project by taking them under our wings,” shares the Delhi-based curator. The project’s latest exhibition, The Modern Tribal-Connecting Traditions at the Jehangir Art Gallery this week is the result of the ongoing process of introducing traditional artisans to a new form and grammar in art.

Uikey at work