MITHILA PAINTING: A SECOND LOOK, CONTINUITY AND CHANGE

Mithila painting has flourished in the northeastern state of Bihar in India for centuries. On the one hand, it has remained impervious to external influences, on the other climactic and economic earthquakes have revolutionized it. Today the art of Mithila is venturing into different directions reflecting personal, political, and social issues. Based on in-depth field study of Mithila art in the summers of 2022 and 2023, I wish to discuss the reimagining of aripan (ephemeral floor patterns drawn in threshold spaces) and kohbar (images painted in nuptial chambers), the traditional imagery of Mithila painting, as well as works depicting challenging social and feminist themes, such as changing attitudes toward marriage and the role of women that demonstrate the evolution of this ancient art form. Two natural disasters in Bihar, the 1934 earthquake and the 1966 drought, brought Mithila paintings to the attention of the outside world. They have been exhibited in Europe, Russia, the US, and Japan, and several Mithila painters have received the Padmashri, one of India’s highest awards for art. Men too have made an entry as artists in this area which was an exclusive domain of women.