Beasts of India

by Kanchana Arni (Editor), Gita Wolf (Editor)

Overview

Here are India’s best-known beasts — tiger, elephant, deer, snake... rendered by a variety of folk and tribal artists. Each of their artistic traditions conceives of the beast in distinctive ways, as original in the imagining as it is in the rendering. This handmade book is a new updated version of our classic Beasts of India, long out of print. Individually screenprinted on handmade paper, this wonderful introduction to Indian painting styles is an art and book lover’s dream.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789383145584
Publisher:	Tara Books
Publication date:	06/15/2018
Edition description:	Limited
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	7.70(w) x 7.80(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	4 Years

About the Author

Kanchana Arni has taught art and craft at schools in India and Thailand. She was also a curator and acquisitions manager in a folk art gallery in New Delhi. Arni has been closely associated with various book projects in tribal and folk art, and has conducted numerous workshops for children.

Gita Wolf is the founder of Tara Books, and has written nearly 25 books for children and adults. Considered one of the most original and creative voices in contemporary Indian publishing, she has pursued her interest in exploring and experimenting with the form of the book and its status as a revered cultural object. Several of her children’s books have won major international awards, including the BolognaRagazzi New Horizons Award.

Editorial Reviews

2018-03-18
An Indian import, this art book functions as an introduction to a variety of traditional art forms from the Indian subcontinent. Pictures of animals are printed on brightly colored handmade paper on the recto, and the names of the animal and the art form are printed on the bottom of the verso. All the animals pictured are native to India: tigers, lions, bulls, snakes, crocodiles, monkeys, dogs, and elephants. By grouping the animals together—for instance, all the tigers appear together, followed by the lions, and so on—the book actively encourages comparisons among different forms of Indian folk art. An index at the end of the book provides readers with more information regarding the art style, the artist, and where the art originates. The tiger printed in the Pithora tribal art style, for example, is adapted from the original by the artist Paresh Ratva. The style is described as a "Ritual decorative art form, painted on the walls of houses, using natural earth colors"; it is native to the Indian states of Rajasthan and Gujarat. The variations in line, palette, and level of realism are broad, giving readers a good sense of the vigor and diversity of Indian folk art. Although beautifully crafted, however, it is more an artifact than a traditional picture book. Each book is one of a limited printing of 3,000 and includes a framable print.Lovely, but for art enthusiasts and book collectors more than for child readers. (Picture book. 8-adult)

Kirkus Reviews