Jive Soma Masha, a Tribal Warly artist, died on May 16, 2018, leaving behind a legacy of Intellectual Property Rights. This is perhaps the only tribal art form to have an IPR. The tribal from Dahanu, Maharashtra, started painting when he was seven years old and was gifted with the ability to paint images from nature without any restrictions. Divya Soma, a tribal artist, learned the art through observation. He pioneered some practices that have changed the perception of tribal art today.
Jiva Soma, a man who began Warli painting as a way to mark a celebration, was the first to do so. He would simply paint in his traditional style on a casual basis and without any celebration or purpose. Traditional Warli paintings were usually found on the walls of eco-friendly mud hutments. They were painted with lair (mixture of soil with cow dung) or rice paste with a stick or a brush made of rice crop. Jiva Soma, however, changed the surface and started painting on dark brown or canvas with a white outline.
Jiva Soma, a man of few words was gifted with a strong command of his drawing. He had a keen sense of space division and balance in composition. He was also adept at making impressions. His specialty was bold forms that were pure earthy. One of his paintings shows a horizontal line that divides the canvas into two halves. The lower half of the canvas is adorned with a serpentine shape that adds an element of mystery and beauty. His use of line, dot, and sometimes mass in his paintings led to the appearance of many types of trees, including sun and moon, animals like the snake, birds like parrot and sparrow, men and women in dancing poses, and men playing Tarpa (the instrument used by his tribe).
His candid expression was based on his ability to recall, his powerful expression, his clarity of thought, and his forceful, confident lines. His paintings were a reflection of tribal culture, not just ancestral culture. These qualities earned him unprecedented recognition at Pompidou Centre in France and Japan as well as in India. He demonstrated the elegance and power of rural work to the whole world. His simple images and shapes were attractive to today’s modern layman. Jiva Soma Mashed was the first and only Warli painter to be awarded the Padma Shree award by the Government of India. Visit https://www.carpetcleaningbeverlyhills.info/5-benefits-of-hiring-professional-cleaning-services/ to read about 5 Benefits of Hiring Professional Cleaning Services.
This art style was not known until 45 years ago. We see Warli motifs on a variety of fabrics, decorating walls, and greeting cards. The simple shapes and drawings are a fascination for many people. It is a simple art form that anyone can practice, which is one of its strongest points. But no longer. Recent registrations of Warli art under the Intellectual Property Rights Act have been made. This is perhaps the most cult-worthy tribal art to achieve this status. It can be attributed to Jivya Soma Mashe who, in his purity and naivete, brought these motifs into the five-star culture of the metropolitan area. His sons, Sadashiv and Balu, continue to carry on the legacy.
