Why We Must Have Formalised Cultural Art Education - Shibani Jain
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Why We Must Have Formalised Cultural Art Education
When I visited Paris and Barcelona- I noticed the various art deco and other heritage architecture, that was beautifully integrated into modern day buildings. In Barcelona, you can see the influence of the great architect and artist, Gaudi and in Santa Fe (USA) you can see the stunning low slung architecture created by Peublo, influenced by traditional Native American homes. UK, Rome, Switzerland, Japan, are all countries with ancient cultures that have integrated their heritage with the modernity of their current times to create distinctive cities. These places offer a unique character and quality which can be remembered and enjoyed. Their culture is reflected in the design of their shopping centres, corporate offices, residential complexes and public spaces. On the other hand- China, has wiped out all traces of its cultural identity through it various purges. The result can be seen in the cities that they are creating.
But I have always wondered why our Indian cities do not reflect an original identity despite our two thousand year culture? The answer lies in our education system. We sorely lack formal cultural education in India! I reflected back on my own years at NID. Despite being in a premium design school, I did not have access to great books and material on Indian art or culture then. And there was no internet of course at the time! I grew up in the concrete surroundings of Mumbai- and had no opportunity to see traditional Indian homes or our way of life. At NID, I learnt about western art movements, taking them as inspiration for my design work. Fortunately, I got a few sparks of insight from my teachers. We were made to realise how good a design the Indian Lota was, and how it has been perfected by centuries of use. We were told about how people in India, ate under the shade of a tree, as a community.
We learnt about some of the design maestros, like Arne Jacobsen who mixed modern day functionalism with traditional Danish architectural themes or George Nakashima who mixed the beauty of natural wood with the spiritual Zen philosophy from Japan. They were outstanding designers, who successfully created a cultural context in their contemporary work.
Even so, I did not understand the value of studying my own culture. I did not bother to see Indian art forms or the distinctive architecture of coastal or Kerala homes or Rajathani havelis. And I feel that I missed out because I did not have a structured or formal access to this aspect of learning. I missed understanding my own people and how we lived, what made us comfortable, what our aesthetics are and what makes us unique.
Subsequently, I attended many graduating programs and panel discussions at schools, design and architectural institutes. I was always surprised by the fact that almost none of them reflected an Indian ethos which is unique to us. I do not see any identity of our art and culture reflected in the work. Barring a few, the output is often sterile mimicries of western ideas, themes and concepts.
Later in life, as I began to work with Indian arts and crafts, I came across beautiful examples of how relevant cultural art can be in education. I saw miniatures that showed historic moments from India, learnt about strange art like Jadu Pata, a ritual painting from the Santhal tribe and about magical Gond and other art from India.
Only now, have I started to realise the actual relevance of studying Indian art and culture in our schools, colleges and design institutes. It is important if we are to understand and create our own unique identity in the global world. I am keen to bring this opportunity to our institutes and inspire educationists about the benefits of this learning.
Here are some key reasons on why we must have formal cultural education:
- Learning can be more memorable- imagine that school students can see paintings of some of the historic moments that shaped India. For eg, a miniature painting that shows the coronation of Lord Wellesley- the visual detail will give more information, recall value and engagement than multiple paras of text can ever do. Art is a great way to support the school curriculum. Art documents flora and fauna of various regions as well. It can be used to support biology and zoology studies.
- Art gives clues to the past- we can create a deeper sociological understanding of communities; how they live, their concerns, beliefs, etc. Eg. Warli art shows the importance they give to the community- it’s not an individualistic society but rather a deeply community based society that is reflected in their art.
- Make you more appreciative of humanitarian concepts and values- art builds reflection and social thinking. Cultural art has many similarities across diverse regions and cultures. Their study helps us to understand how we are all connected as a human race. It builds knowledge, compassion and togetherness. Eg. Aborigine art is very similar to Bhil tribal art.
- And most importantly, studying our own culture gives us a distinctive creative edge- this is especially true, for those involved in aesthetic fields. We can work with the grammar of our cultural art and assimilate this in our creative endeavours. It is a deeply intuitive process- where we can learn faster than any foreign subject and therefore be able to use and apply the knowledge in our work. Eg. You may grasp the essence of Warli art, faster than you may understand the Blue period in European Art.
We can help bring this wonderful repository and learning into schools, design and architectural institutes. This can be a strong distinguishing factor for our students and give them an advantage that is extraordinary in its scope. I encourage every educationist to think about this and to give it a try.
Shibani Jain
