Mithila’s Culture and Religious Ethos in Aperspectival Legacies

Inherited Arts Forum’s Newest Exhibition

Inherited Arts Forum (IAF) is bringing together a show celebrating Mithila paintings and their masters. Titled, Aperspectival Legacies: Oral Traditions, Dynamic Approaches, the show is curated by Sonam Jha with Amit Kumar Jain. The show opened up on 19th January and will be on view till 28 February 2025.

What Is Aperspectival Legacies All About?

Aperspectival Legacies pays homage to the extraordinary oral traditions of the Mithila region fostered by generations of artists through their dynamic artistic practices. Rooted in its ceremonial character, Mithila paintings were made by women as daily and cyclical rituals— to celebrate weddings or to commemorate important festivals and household events. These Madhubani paintings, which were initially done on walls and later, through Governmental intervention transferred to paper, symbolized prosperity and fertility, becoming catalysts of acts of worship, community building and generational wealth. 

Aperspectival Legacies brings together early Mithila paintings acquired by a private collector from 1968-1985, providing us with an encyclopedic range of themes and artists, mostly women. These paintings revolve around the themes of mythology, folklore, and daily rituals, crafted in vibrant pigments on paper. Not only would you understand the process that goes into making these magnificent pieces, but also gather insights into how these dynamic traditions have evolved as agents of community-building, generational wealth, and spiritual expression.

Noteworthy in the IAF exhibition is the presence of men who took up painting either as a religious activity or to sustain a livelihood. While many artworks in the collection are unsigned and undated, some of the prominent names in the exhibition include Mahasundari Devi, Jagdambaa Devi, Anmana Devi, Baua Devi, Mahamaya Devi and Nityanand Jha.

About Inherited Arts Forum

IAF (Inherited Arts Forum) is a collaboration between two Contemporary galleries Exhibit 320 & Blueprint12. They believe that traditional arts shape a more humane world. They aim to create a platform for folk and tribal artists to present their work and their perspectives. These artists demonstrate superior levels of craftsmanship and creativity, often introducing new materials and innovations that express both traditional and contemporary imagery and values. In this way, traditional folk art forms evolve as dynamic living traditions.

Image – Untitled (Kobhar), Pigment on paper, 21.8×29.8 in. Unknown Artist (Att. to Nityanand Jha) Courtesy – Inherited Arts Forum