The exuberant aura of Tribal & Folk Art of the Indian subcontinent with its tints, tones, shades and hues only comes to light when you dig deep.Be it painters capturing the harvest season of Santhal tribes or the Patwa paintings of Patachitra in Orissa. Such knitting of traditional myths and legends churns up aesthetic pieces of art..

Nurturing these ancient treasures is PotliArts, a Mumbai-based venture for Indian Tribal & Folk Art, Craft and Handwoven Weaves, that curates, revives, sources, and promotes India’s rich heritage in creating masterful and intricate arts and designs. It provides a platform for Indian Tribal & Folk Artisans to portray their prowess through PotliArts channels like its e-Commerce portal, art gallery, and regular annual exhibitions.

A deep desire to spread joy and appreciation of ancient cultures along with an intense love for free spirited tribal art and intricate folk art, nudged Ritu Chandwani (Founder) PotliArts to create a platform to raise awareness about Tribal and Folk paintings in 2010. Ritu says,

“Being a part of the Tribal & Folk Art World is a dream come true for me. It was a mid-career change and not an easy decision to make. I’m deeply grateful to my Mentor Daisaku Ikeda (President, Soka Gakkai International) for giving me the eternal gifts of creating value in society, always having hope and always believing in our selves and our potential. I am also indebted to my parents, Romesh & Shanta Singal for inspiring me with their hard work. My Parents always encouraged me to work sincerely and not worry about the rest”.

Bridging the gap between the core values of tradition and modern expectations, PotliArts reaches out to buyers around the world

Aesthetic Hues of Heritage
Bridging the gap between the core values of tradition and modern expectations, PotliArts reaches out to buyers around the world. Ritu adds, “We love to share our hands-on research and knowledge. We have also been having talks on Tribal Art at schools and at Art Festivals. We have a grass root connection with original artisans and share this benefit with our customers, giving PotliArts credibility in the market and helps us to create value in society. With a unique service of customizing art, craft and textiles, the company meets its client preferences by interacting and curating works

with the same artisans whose work is displayed and shared. At PotliArts, we keep the standards high with a sharp focus on quality and creativity”.

Ritu emphasizes, “Art andHeritage has no boundaries. Indian Heritage Art have admirers since Vasco da Gama times. We encourage corporates to support by gifting Indian Art, Craft and Handwoven Weaves under their corporate gifting programs. Their purchase will support a 1000 year old handmade tradition”. Covering an array of Tribal & Folk cultures, PotliArts works with select and nationally and internationally awarded artisans from 10 tribes and 22 states of India. These artists belong to families with generations of art & craft backgrounds often going back ten generations and more. Many ancient arts of India have a proud home at PotliArts. These include Gond, Warli, Saora, Santhal, Chitrakathi, Patachitra, Kalamkari, Kalighat, Palm Leaf, Rogan Art and Mithila.

Ritu says, “All our artisans are from off the tourist tracks and represent the splendor of interiors of India, areas so remote, some 400 kms from the nearest town”. PotliArts also encourages grass root initiatives for empowerment of women artisans. “With ambitious revenue targets of expansions, we are looking for the right strategic partner with the same passion for promoting India’s heritage globally, making it the world’s most coveted pieces of possession, a true joy for generations,” concludes Ritu.