Known for their use of indigenous arts, Tara Books has translated Mandna art from the walls and spilled it into a book for children, Gobble You Up ufffd a rhythmic take on an ancient folktale
Sunita, a Meena artist, was passed on the traditional art of painting patterns with white chalk on mud walls from her mother. Sunita is one of the few folk artists who has travelled beyond her village (usually unheard among women) to showcase her talent.
She, along with her husband Prabhaat, has also contributed to the story of Gobble You Up about a wily wolf who swallows from a squirrel to an elephant. Sunita shares, that her ancient art, Mandna is seminal to her identity. She comments, “I draw my design elements from the regional background to which the children (readers of these books) belong.”
Sunita, the Meena artist
She further relates, “The innocent, nascent and transparent eyes” of children and the motif of animals have motivated her art. The imagery of beasts can be commonly found on the village walls and she is fascinated by their young.
For the book, Sunita pressed acrylic paint through her fingers which was later photographed and painted by silkscreen on specially produced kraft paper.
kanika.sharma@mid-day.comu00a0
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