The Queen’s Hall at Victoria’s Parliament House played host to a collection of artworks that rarely find their way outside India. Paintings in styles like Madhubani, Pattachitra, Tanjore, Kalighat, Cheriyal, Rajasthani miniatures and Pichwai took centre stage, drawing curious MPs and guests from all corners of Melbourne.
Indian Consul General in Melbourne Dr Sushil Kumar was joined by Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing Collin Brooks MP, and MP Lee Tarlamis OAM for the exhibition’s opening, which was curated and presented by the International Indian Folk Art Gallery. The initiative, led by Senthil Vel and his wife Rathna, aims to share India’s traditional folk art with broader Australian audiences—while keeping the artists who practise them in public view.
The exhibition was no ordinary event tucked into a quiet corner. Set in one of Parliament’s most visible spaces, it invited politicians and passers-by alike to pause in front of visual stories once told in village homes and temple walls. Visitors walked past mythological scenes painted in natural dyes, gods shimmering in gold leaf, and characters carved out in bold lines and vibrant hues. Some styles are instantly recognisable to anyone from India’s various states. Others, like the Telangana-based Cheriyal scrolls, offered unfamiliar tales from the Deccan’s storytelling traditions.
It wasn’t just the visual appeal that carried the show. The point, as Senthil Vel has often said, is to remind us that these traditions could vanish if not supported. The push behind the exhibition was less about nostalgia and more about survival. Artists from regional communities, once supported by royal courts and religious institutions, have been increasingly edged out by digital culture, shifting tastes, and a lack of institutional support.
This is not the first time Victoria’s parliamentarians have acknowledged such efforts. Lee Tarlamis previously spoke about the value of folk art exhibitions, particularly those hosted in local community spaces. On this occasion, he reiterated his support, acknowledging the time and care invested by the organisers.
Senthil Vel, who began IIFAG in 2020, has been travelling between cities and working with artists across India to gather and showcase works for public display in Australia. The gallery has operated out of spaces in Melbourne and has been instrumental in building bridges between Indian folk artists and collectors, students, and art lovers.
The art itself offers plenty to talk about. Madhubani paintings, often produced by women in Bihar, merge spiritual themes with botanical motifs. Tanjore paintings from Tamil Nadu are known for their raised gold embellishments and portrayal of gods in framed grandeur. Pattachitra scrolls from Odisha are dense with religious iconography, while Kalighat paintings from Bengal often reflect social themes with a satirical bite. The miniatures from Rajasthan harken back to royal courts and epics, while the Pichwai paintings are devotional works focusing on Krishna’s life and miracles.
What ties them together is their shared fragility in the face of change. A scroll may take weeks or months to create, but sells for little in a mass market environment. Materials are expensive, training is scarce, and the younger generation of artists often moves on to better-paying careers. That’s why exhibitions like this, presented in places of power, play a small but visible role in keeping traditional artists part of modern conversations.
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