Assam-based Kingson Swargiary, 41, stated, “Through my work, I wanted to show how our community lives in harmony with nature.” In his canvas, trees, tiger, flowers anchor the frame; hills, rivers and female figures emerge around them. He begins without preliminary layers. “I first create a layout of the entire idea in my mind based on the sounds and environment. I don’t use extra layers; I start directly with colours and balance them within the space,” he said. In another work, he revisits wrestling, a practice he notes is central to his community – the Boro (Bodo) community – as it is in Haryana, rendering it in a style he describes as “somewhat traditional”.

If Swargiary’s work circles harmony, V Naveen’s returns to labour and ritual. The 33-year-old Koya artist from the Godavari Belt of Telangana, works largely in brownish-red paint, which is symbolic of the colour that was once extracted from forest stone and red soil. “My ancestors used red colour, white colour; that’s why we are using red and white only,” he says, though he now paints with acrylic on canvas.

Artwork of Kingson Swargiary, a Boro artist based in Assam showcasing how their community lives in harmony with nature (Photo: PR handout)

His imagery records everyday endurance: a woman tying her baby to herself as she steps out because there is no one else to take care of the baby at home; wooden pounding tools once used to husk rice before mills existed; gatherings during the festivals. Mahua flowers appear frequently — collected, fermented and offered to local deities. “It reflects our connection to nature,” he says of the compositions, which he describes as schematic in style.

Beyond the exhibition, TAF includes panel discussions on themes such as Tribal Art Revival & Sustainable Futures, Tribal Art in Contemporary Spaces, and Livelihoods and Market Linkages. A participatory installation called Project Khum, “khum” meaning flower in Kokborok, the language of Tripura, sees tribal women artists collectively building a shared artwork.