Globalisation started with the aim of making the world a global village. Since its inception, it has taken the world by storm. It made goods and services accessible to a totally new section of society that was left untouched previously. It has managed to bridge many gaps that existed before. Since its arrival in India in 1991, it opened many doors for India to go global. But along with many wide open doors of opportunities, a host of new windows of challenges also opened up.

Globalisation: The Saviour

Given India’s colonial past, India’s hesitation towards opening its doors to the global market doesn’t sound alarming at all. So, when it did open itself up towards the global market the results were very rewarding and not so rewarding at the same time. India’s soul lies in its traditions. And its handicrafts and handlooms are the most tangible form of its traditions. Given how important traditions are to India, one can only imagine how invaluable these pieces of handicrafts and handlooms must be for India. It’s India’s most tremendous pride and greatest asset.

When it opened itself up to the world during globalisation, India needed something unique to help make it stand out from the crowd. And thus, came into the global picture, Indian handicrafts and handlooms. The potential that Indian handicrafts held in the global market were observed when their export crossed Rs 1220 crores in 1990-91 from merely 10 crores in the mid-fifties. These handicrafts and handlooms ignited interest in the western world to know more about this Asian section of their global village. Thus, leading to a boom in India’s tourism industry. It looks like everyone is benefitting from it, but are they?

Globalisation: The Hidden Side

Globalisation did give India its fair share of global credit for its outstanding craftsmanship, but what about the true artisans? With an increase in their audience, one would expect them to thrive but sadly the reality is not the same. Given the rise in middlemen and trade entrepreneurs, the majority of the profit ends up in their lap. And the true artist is left to collect the scraps. This further leads to them hoping for their kids to have a better future than them. This means they wish for them to have a different occupation. Thus, the new generation either doesn’t always end up learning the age-old craft from their parents. Or if they do they don’t always end up practising it, and thus, the craft dies with it.

Given the lack of organisation and formal education, many local artisans end up working in highly exploitative environments which will make even a true craft lover turn their eyes away with tears. Along with increased audience globalisation also brings with it an increase in competition. A highly competitive environment means the cheapest product wins the bet. 

But sadly the amount that goes into the making of these exquisite pieces of handicrafts and handlooms is not cheap and hence, the end value is always expensive. Plus, the traditional way of making these handicrafts and handlooms also takes a lot of time. In order to meet the increased demand cheap knockoffs started circulating the market. Using machinery rather than artisans cuts the production cost and the time taken to produce it by half. Plus it meets the global demand. But with all the profits the one who suffers the most is the true artist.

Afterword

Globalisation indeed helped uplift India’s local artisans by increasing their employment rate. But sadly this trend did not follow for long. With the arrival of middlemen and an increase in the demand for these handicrafts and handlooms, cheaper knockoff versions entered the market. This led to a loss of uniqueness and craftsmanship as goods were now produced by machines and a loss of tradition in general. The aim of globalisation is to create a global village but you cannot build a village with a profit-making mentality that only benefits you in the long run. The government has taken several steps to help artisans get their fair share of profit but a lot still needs to be done. And most of it starts with us becoming more aware consumers.

Teju Jangid, born and brought up in Jodhpur, Rajasthan is a digital artist. With an immense fanbase on Instagram, he is a self-taught digital artist. Currently working as a full-time freelancer, Teju Jangid is proficient in digital illustration, book cover design, concept art and the likes. Here’s a sneak peek into the inspiring journey of Teju Jangid becoming a digital artist despite all the odds in his life.

Since childhood Teju Jangid loved to experiment with colors and come out with some exceptional pieces of work. Recalling the first drawing he made, he says, “The first time I painted was when I was a sixth grader. I made a drawing of Lord Hanuman and took it to school. My friends and teachers appreciated the effort a lot. This gave me a solemn affirmation and I started improving my art skills.” In the initial phase he did not receive much support from his family. Coming from a farming background, Teju Jangid’s father wanted him to join the same and continue the legacy. Paying heed to his father’s advice, he started a job in the sales domain in the main city area of Jodhpur. But the moment he started working, he realized this wasn’t something he wanted to do. He quit the job and came back to his village and started helping his father on the farm. He worked in the fields in the day and practiced art whenever he got a chance. 

Teju Jangid kickstarted his career as a professional digital artist around five years back in the year 2018. He started with making pencil sketches of celebrities and sharing them on Instagram. His journey of success began when the renowned YouTuber Amit Bhadana posted his sketch made by Teju Jangid on his Instagram story. While recollecting some significant instances from his story Teju Jangid says, “I remember I made a sketch of Akshay Kumar’s character as Prithviraj Chauhan before the release of the movie. Akshay Kumar had commented on the post and to this day that whole thing remains inscribed on my mind and heart.” 

Teju Jangid idolizes the great artist Raja Ravi Verma and draws inspiration from him. Though he has never made one, he adores oil paintings to the fullest. He generally finds solace in painting portraits of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, characters from Indian mythological stories and folktales and the mighty rulers of Indian history. He takes pride in being attached to his roots and portraying the same in his art. He says, “In my early days, I used to paint and sketch on paper. The gradual shift from traditional tools of art to modern equipment was a challenging aspect. I learned and thoroughly enjoyed the whole process.” Now he feels like he has got detached from traditional art but wishes to explore it all over again.

Teju Jangid feels that social media, especially Instagram played a key role in shaping his career as a digital artist. Talking about the essence of art in rural India, he believes that rural India possesses a huge respect for art and artists but it is still not considered as a profession there. Being asked about his take on the upcoming generation of artists, Teju Jangid says, “Just two things for the budding artists – DON’T RUSH AND DON’T COMPARE! Don’t chase popularity and money, just focus on polishing your skills, fame, name and money will follow with joy. And don’t compare the first page of your story to the tenth page of someone else’s story. Compete with yourself, look back at your own versions and feel proud of how far you came!”

Teju Jangid considers artificial intelligence to be both a bane and a boon for artists. He concludes with a strong statement that AI can never replace humans, it can only accompany and facilitate them. He aspires to grow and develop his own self in the field of digital art and accomplish new horizons.

The invention of camera and photography in the 19th century marked an enigma in the art and culture of human history. The innovative intervention sowed the seeds of an avid ‘newness’ that people were looking forward to, both amazed and alarmed with the technology. Cameras changed the way art was perceived, made or created. This meant that with the camera capturing real-time scenarios, paintings need not be realistic anymore. Camera and photography introduced videography, and videography to films and movies. Art was getting expanded into a plethora of mediums. This was just one instance of technology seeping into the society. The sphere of art has since then be influenced by new technological inventions.

In the most recent, the digital era of the internet and smartphones has grappled the sphere of art with numerous new alternatives both in the form of its creation and its experience as an art lover. The art form currently produced in the 21st century, and since the second half of the 20th century is termed as ‘Contemporary Art’. Quite self-explanatory, contemporary artists are producing pieces in a culturally diverse and technologically advanced society, and these factors have a significant influence on the creation of art. An iPad has also conveniently become a canvas for the artist, or the NFT for the sale of the same. To dwell into this further, we can peek into the various mediums through which art is created.

The History Of Digital Art And Technology

Mixed media art was an avant-garde movement of the early 20th century, which itself molded the idea of what ‘true art’ is. With the advent of technology, the expression of art has only extended the medium and given us a wider prospectus to blend visual art with other kinds of elements. Digital art can be traced back to the ’60s, when a group of New York artists along with a few scientists and engineers worked collaboratively to create new artistic performances and pieces using the then technological innovations.

In 1980, computer engineers introduced the paint application which was an alternative to the manual paintings that the society was familiar with. This was the time when pixel art or 2D digital art was taking momentum in the art world. Soon after, software art and internet art followed. Digital photography and digital printing enabled a creative collaboration.

When Technology Meets The Art World: The Indian Scene

In India, the trends followed soon, and artists incorporated these innovations in music, films, and paintings. The digitization of art has immersed itself in the diverse and unique art forms of India. Indian folk arts like the Madhubani art is very famous in the west. The authentic aesthetically pleasing designs of the Madhubani art has been an area of deep intrigue for the outside world. To preserve this artform, attempts have been made through computer aided designs (CAD) to speed up the process of creating the art work instead of the conventional manual way which was time consuming. Museums and exhibitions are displaying these indigenous and local art forms of India online through virtual reality. This way the connection between the people and the art is always kept taut.

In a similar scenario, the paintings and the damaged murals of the Ajanta Caves have been restored using art digitization. The AI technology modifies the erased pixels and reinstitutes the lost or faded designs. With Virtual Reality, entire exhibitions are now put up online, with a 360 degree, panoramic view. Art galleries could be experienced through the screens from the comforts of your home. The control of the experience of the space is completely in the hands of the viewer. This was especially significant during the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic.

In this discussion, it is also worth mentioning the blockchain technology – NFTs (Non-fungible Tokens). While NFTs are not used in any way to create art or aren’t necessarily art pieces all the time, they have had an influence over the art community. NFTs are unique digital assets that can be bought and sold online. They work as proof of ownership, no other person can have a copy of the same. Artists put up their artworks as NFTs, and sell it online.

Contemporary Indian Artists Who Are Mixing Art And Tech

As mentioned above, India has long since been leveraging the benefits of technological art. In India, the first computer art exhibit in India was held in Mumbai in 1991. In August 1997, Vadodara, The first Indian Digital Art Workshop for Young Artists was held. It was a 3-week workshop which introduced children to painting with computers. Multiple events and workshops like these were domineering in the early 2000s to embrace the new medium and technique of art.

Throughout the years, multiple Indian artists have come forth and contributed much to the new art sphere. Some of these names are Anita Dube, Vivan Sundaram, Sheba Chhahhi, Atul Bhaa, Gigi Scaria, Ranbir Kaleka, Tabrez Alam, Pinkoblue, etc. Artists like Ranbir Kaleka experiment and combine film and painting together to create video arts, or like artists such as Tabrez Alam who merge together stills from movies with paintings. The mixed media create another kind of artistic piece which delves deeper into the nuanced quality of how we perceive films and to what element do we associate it with.

While art and technology has widened our scope for not only deeply expressing through the mixed media art but has also increased the possibility of viewing these artforms on an online platform, readily accessible to us. However, one also cannot ignore the negatives of the digital media. It can be agreed that technology has made it easier to reproduce multiple copies of ‘authentic’ paintings which lessens its value. One well-known and experienced example is that of Mona Lisa. You can find her in keychains, t-shirts, posters, etc.

Therefore, one can agree that technology has definitely dug up more pathways to create and experience art, it has also, at the same time, devalued the existence of the same art.

The soft and light pigments of watercolours bring an illusory, transcendental and quite paradoxically, calming, and real life elements to a painting. All art pieces are an expression of ideas, opinions, inner thoughts and feelings, or they might simply be the imitation of the outside surrounding world. Watercolour paintings are a unique and a witty way of playing with colours, and navigating them beautifully on the canvas. Of course, with different artists and painters come different perspectives, techniques, recipes, and aura at bringing new creations to the table. On this note, we bring you a bunch of watercolour artists who are painting a myriad of entrancing pieces.

Ganesh Hire

Ganesh Hire is an exceptional watercolour artist. He specialises in portraits and landscapes. Exuding details, accuracy, depth and passion in all of his pieces, Ganesh Hire, manipulates the soft pigments to create real life artworks. His portraits are very realistic, yet they’ve an unearthly touch to them which elevates the piece to a more nuanced work. Similarly, his landscapes or paintings of monuments, buildings, and other architectural structures, are rich in depth and one can feel the familiarity he has with the structures he so smoothly paints on his canvas.

Achintya Hazra

Achintya Hazra is a meticulous and passionate painter. His original art pieces are a combination of profound creativity, skill and strategy. In fact, quite recently, one of his very scrupulously intricate and realistic painting of a boat at a shore was selected for the 105th National level Annual Exhibition by The Art Society of India. Achintya Hazra’s excellence lies in his versatility with turning everything around him into his own canvas. He not only paints landscapes and portraits, but is adept at painting all kinds of subjects: nature, flowers, forests, and in-animate objects.

Harshwaradhan Devtale

Harshwaradhan Devtale is another watercolour artist you must check out! His area of expertise and interest lie in the Indian rural and village spaces. It is honestly enthralling to scan through the many thatched and wooden roofs of the village houses he’s painted. There’s an aura of deep resemblance and filiation between Harshwaradhan and the village spaces that he paints. While we get to see cityscapes in paintings and art, we seldom get to embrace the unique atmosphere that pervades in the villages. Harshwaradhan Devtale brings the bareness of the village life on to the paper in the smooth pigments of watercolours.

Kanth Raj

Kanth Raj is an adept with watercolours. His paintings are a vivid declaration of his close relationship with the colours and the canvas. The more you look at his art pieces the more you understand the balancing of the colour tones, the culmination of the shades, the details, and a realistic portrayal of his scenery. Moreover, his painting titled “Creative landscape-18” was a part of International Watercolor Society India Biennale 2022! 

Prabal Mallick

Prabal Mallick is a self-learned and self-trained watercolour artist. During his early childhood days only, Prabal was awestruck by art works and patterns around him, in his house or outside. Soon, Prabal, of course imitated those and it wasn’t long before he started making his own art works and paintings. Prabal’s surroundings are his art inspirations. His art gallery is rich with a variety of subjects. Nature, humans, flowers, trees, landscapes, all of the world’s creations have been beautifully painted down by Prabal Mallick in a plethora of hypnotic colour shades on his canvas.

Gurumukh Singh

Gurumukh Singh is another exceptional watercolour painter. What sets his paintings apart is his preference of highlighting darker colour shades in his paintings. Adeptly painted, with an eye for capturing moments into paintings, Gurumukh Singh adds his own element into them. The dominance of the dark tones add an aura of intensity and depth which makes his pieces an enigma to observe and breathe in.

Madhusudan Das

Madhusudan Das loves painting the very moment he’s witnessing. With his clean canvas and paint brush, he sways the colour tones into a melody of familiarity, closeness and beauty. He is especially fond of painting human activities in any space. Many of his paintings have candid human beings, tangled in their daily life events. His paintings capture time in their true essence, and brings Madhusudan Das’s perspective to the world in a vivid capacity.

Portrait paintings are a window into an artist’s perspective, showcasing their unique approach to capturing the human form. From the rich hues of oil paintings to the delicate lines of charcoal drawings to fine strokes of watercolour brushes, the diversity of techniques and styles found in portrait art is truly awe-inspiring. Whether it’s a meticulously detailed model portrait or a loose, impressionistic landscape, the skill and talent of the artists are on full display. As you explore the world of portrait paintings, you’ll find yourself admiring the craftsmanship and creativity of these masterful artists.

Amit Naik

Canvas paintings that will make you glance back and revert back at the paintings made by Naik again. His range extends from acrylics, charcoal on paper, digital painting, pastels and gouache on paper. The variety of content that Naik has to offer is commendable. His piece of art truly shows the potential he has and further shows the exploration he yet has to do. The creativity and authenticity he manages to show through shows bits of muse and inspiration. A true artist dwelling on the intriguing aspects of life, through his creations he brings them back to life from his memory.

Sushil Basu

A collection of admirable watercolour paintings that Basu shows us through his page basuz_watercolor is fascinating. An essence of dripping reality and life is clearly seen through the painting. The vibrancy of the paints and blooming colours is commendable and extremely appealing to the eyes. The intricacies he manages to maintain and emphasise are a trait to definitely learn. The landscapes depicted on paper show the beauty of nature in its element as well as how Basu chooses to see it.

Manjiri More

Manjiri’s portraits capture individuals and contain them within the frame in a particular moment. More’s Instagram page majiri_more.artist is a page dedicated to her passion for art, every piece with a story to tell, inspire or simply admire. A large chunk of live model paintings leaves the viewers in awe, the shades, the strokes and the final products are inspiring to see. Her artistic range has no boundaries and shows her skills in every variety of paintings to exist. Her intentions through her work, she puts out there in the world show a perspective she shows people. An alluring and inviting page by More will capture your attention and leave you waiting for the next artistic piece.

Bharat R

Bharat’s works are magnificent, every piece has a dynamic ability to influence a person. The sheer and absolute love to draw and the present world a piece of itself is insane. Bharat presents a variety of different paintings ranging from phenomenal charcoal portraits to breathtaking sketches. The emotions and rawness he captures in all these drawings are enthralling. His page bharata_art is an artistic treat giving accessibility to everyone to see the visuals he creates. His piece has impressed people around the world for various exhibitions. The titles and his ideas through his works are evocative.

Rakesh Suryawanshi

The vivid visuals presented in the oil painting by Rakesh are done perfectly. The colour choice and the technique to draw an image and show its clarity in it are commendable. The sketches are detailed and exact replicas of the muses. The pictures of eyes and the human sketches show his potential to the fullest to bring the pictures back to life. Rakesh has some of amazing digital work as well as scenic portraits showing the extent that ranges when it comes to his painting skills. The depiction of eyes throughout his art shows the different emotions as if reflective of the person looking at it.

Ashish Kumar Patel

The oil painting has never looked as unreal and fascinating as Ashish paints them. Every single portrait is beautiful and has a coating of something glimmering and glassy. Patel has improved the style of painting by making them up close and realistic. Beautiful scenic Italy and the various locations on paper that we see are beautiful. A close replica of how the world appears in the day probably a drawing from his memories. Patel excels at oil painting, the images seen will capture you and appreciate his art more.

Trisuk Moharana

The stillness captured in Trisuk’s painting, his attempt to demonstrate a story in a portrait is splendid. The study of each model for his picture results in an image of rawness and genuineness. Something that stays in your mind, Trisuk is incredible at portraying emotions on paper and gives an overview that anchors the meaning of his art. Different ranges from sculpture drawing to oil canvas, his skills just tend to improve every single time. The vibrancy even in the dullness of color gradient used is what entirely shows the beauty of his art. His page is a compilation of varied art that is definitely worth your time.

Parag Bose

Parag draws rural life in his paper. The intricacy and demonstration that is visible, the representation and the fierce eyes they have captures your eye. The charcoal painting is done at its finest as well as the vibrant colours used in sketch, pastels or oil is beautiful to look at. The art of drawing and telling a story in its stillness and expression is an art to admire. The element that they are in while just staring at the distance or indulging in work around the village is a piece extracted from real life. The art of imitating a muse and adding authenticity to one’s own portrayal is sheer talent.