Lisa Ray Instagram – Tagar Chitrakar, a Pattachitra artist from Medinipur, Bengal, carries forward her family’s Patua art tradition. In the present day, Patua artists no longer create lengthy scrolls, and have instead opted for customization in terms of size and colour, while still preserving the integral accompanying songs. Tagar’s work encompasses diverse narratives, spanning mythology, village life, global events, and pressing issues related to the environment and politics. Her distinctive technique involves using paper backed with old saris, pioneering a contemporary approach with neutral-coloured paintings. Her artwork ‘Goddess Kamolokamini’ which translates to ‘voluptuous Lotus,’ is the name employed here for Durga. This folk artwork depicts the Goddess with her infant son Ganesh in her lap and two adult Ganesh figures on either side. Lotus flowers scattered throughout add a sense of purity to the joyful atmosphere of the painting. The artist’s works are part of the exhibition ‘In Search of the Devi’ curated by Srimoyi Bhattacharya (@sreepeepul). To learn more about traditional styles of painting, visit @theupsidespace and add these mesmerizing works of art to your collection.