The latest report by the Indian Art Investor highlights that the Indian art market witnessed a turnover of USD 75.8 million in H1FY23. The market views Indian art as an effective and viable investment. Moreover, this growth also means increasing awareness and appreciation for Indian art. Indian folk art stands to benefit from this development.
To tap into this potential, Rooftop, a venture that promotes Indian folk art through its workshops and courses, plays a pivotal role in maintaining and optimising this momentum and making an impact on the growth story of Indian folk art.
The app takes this opportunity to nurture Indian folk art and create value for artists, students of art, and the general audience at large.
“The Indian Folk Art market is a goldmine of potential waiting to be explored. Our platform provides a space where artists can connect with a wider audience. We have an illustrious list of artists who bring with them an artistic legacy that goes back generations and a growing audience who is keen on seriously learning these art forms,” said Kartik Gaggar, CEO and Founder of Rooftop App.
A steady increase in the number of students participating in the various workshops is an encouraging sign for all stakeholders.
We consume approximately 10% of the global art market today, which is 45.53 billion USD, is providing art services. Art is no more just a product market. People today are using art as a co-curricular activity to take a break from their lives. Studies from the American Art Therapy Association shows that spending only 45 minutes on making any artwork helps in reducing stress in around 75% participants.
The pandemic propelled the growth of online learning and forced art consumption to move online.
Even as the pandemic has receded in the background, it brought with it long-lasting disruption. Learning art online is on an upward trajectory as it offers the benefit of not limiting its audience due to geography or time.
Art for Everyone
The vast repository of Indian folk art has something for everyone. Sometimes it can be a little perplexing and daunting to navigate. ArtTech makes it easier to navigate through the different art forms. Whether you are drawn to the geometric shapes of Warli, the vibrant colours of Gond painting, the storytelling format of Phad painting or even mixed media, the workshops on various Indian folk art allow fertile ground for creativity.
This accessibility to art cannot be stressed enough. At a time when there is a growing interest in art in the market, it would be remiss to not maximise this potential to develop and grow an audience.
Timeless Form, Contemporary Themes
Folk artists in India have also been proactive in adding nuance to the narratives in their artwork. Many have experimented with modern themes in their repertoire, such as politics, climate change and gender.
Some of the leading names in the folk art landscape are Dulari Devi (Madhubani), Venkat Shyam (Gond), Kalyan Joshi (Phad), and Rajaram Sharma (Pichwai). Rooftop’s maestro courses with these artists and many others will allow art lovers to learn the motifs of the art forms and use them in different themes.
The app introduces different ways to explore and consume Indian art through its ‘Inspire Me’ and ‘Community’ features. This will prove to be beneficial for the industry as a whole.
The Way Forward
The impact of technology on art is only going to grow. A streamlined, dedicated approach to developing this domain will boost many aspects of the industry. It will foster audience development which is much needed for the traditional arts of India; it will bridge the gap between artists and the audience, art educator and the students; it will serve as a pathway to address societal matters, and most importantly, provide artists with a tech platform can go a long way in supporting artists with economic opportunities.
