13 Oct 2014

Art for Festive Occasions

Art is a wonderful way to add colour, style and statement to our surroundings


Festivals are an ideal time for family and friends to get together and celebrate the occasion and to take the opportunity to reiterate lifelong bonds. Deepawali which is celebrated across the country with great enthusiasm and joy is a festival which mandates spring cleaning and decorating home interiors on an extensive scale. It offers immense possibilities to unleash your creativity and decorate interiors innovatively.
Art for Festive Occasions, Art Scene India, Image courtesy Bipasha Sen Gupta
Art is a wonderful way to add colour, style and statement to our surroundings. Colours and moods are interlinked and it is a well-known fact that bright vibrant colours which symbolize energy and vigor are uplifting and help in creating a spirit of celebration. Also, colours that are used symbolically in our tradition and culture as part of rituals and ceremonies, such as ochre, vermilion and rust should be used generously to reaffirm the festive spirit. This would be a good time to choose paintings which reflect not only these colours but are also celebratory in nature.

Conventionally, paintings are the most popular form of artworks that are Art for Festive Occasions, Art Scene India, Image courtesy Mahirwan Mamtanidisplayed in homes and it is common to have a large painting placed over a central seating area and it works well in most interior spaces. During the festive season it would be a good idea to display paintings which focus on traditional and ethnic themes. These can be put up as a set or singly if they are large.

In addition, there are several other options apart from just traditional ones which can also be used to create a unique and different look. Displaying art in the form of accessories is also a wonderful way to enhance your surroundings. For instance, having paintings or sketches on functional and utilitarian accessories such has chairs, cushion covers, coasters, coffee mugs, decorative wooden boxes and Art for Festive Occasions, Art Scene India, Image courtesy Sanghita Dasso on not only make these functional items colourful but also very dramatic. A single large piece of furniture such as a chair or a table can be hand painted by a professional artist to turn it into a conversation piece. This may be slightly expensive but if you look around you should be able to find an upcoming artist or a student who can do this in a more affordable manner. And, in case you are artistically inclined you could always try painting it yourself, but do experiment on a smaller and less expensive piece first. For a larger number of collectable items, a screen-printed option which has been done professionally works much better.

Art for Festive Occasions, Art Scene India, Image courtesy AhambhumikaThese days, it is common to have a wall as an accent by painting it in another colour and by using textures to enhance its mundane appearance, instead you can have a wall accentuated by having it painted by an artist. Here you can either have a contemporary look or opt for an ethnic or traditional finish by getting it painted by a folk artist. An abstract sketch or a colorful mosaic will look fabulous in a contemporary décor, while Madhubani, Pithora, Worli or any other folk or tribal art can make a huge difference to the ambience. Both these options are worth exploring and are sure to make your décor stand out.

Festivals are also a great time to display traditional figurines, antique paintings and other artifacts which are either hand painted or customized. The important thing is to be creative in your display and choose artifacts with care to ensure a festive air prevails.


Images courtesy Bipasha Sen Gupta, Mahirwan Mamtani, Sanghita Das and Aham Bhumika
This article was published earlier in The Times of India-Property, Bangalore

If you enjoyed reading this article, do share it using the social media widgets at the top and subscribe to receive regular updates from Art Scene India

Related Posts,

No comments: