Tushar Vayeda & Mayur Vayeda

Image Credit - Vayeda Brothers

Mayur and Tushar Vayeda, brothers and artists, were born and raised in the Warli village of Ganjad in rural Maharashtra. There, they were exposed to Warli folklore, rituals, and ceremonial Warli paintings, which are distinctive because of their geometric forms and natural and communal themes. The Vayeda brothers have created a technique that adheres to the traditional Warli materials and themes in an effort to "bring back the history of Warli artforms practised by tribal ancestors." They use white pigment to create rhythmic alphabet-like forms on surfaces that have been primed with contrasting reddish-brown cow dung. In addition to sharing myths and folktales that have been passed down through the centuries, the brothers also reflect on the state of the modern world using the ancient visual language.

Image Credit - Vayeda Brothers

The Vayeda Brothers have been earnestly recording their experiences and observations of communal life in their artwork, and they view themselves as not only painters but also as scholars, storytellers, and educators.The term "Warli" has been derived from the word "Waral", which is an underground place where seeds are covered with leaves and stored which further highlights the Warli community's close ties to nature.

Image Credit - Vayeda Brothers

The Vayeda Brothers are gently establishing a return to a wholesome, integrated and artistic way of living by opening their studio, incorporating the next generation of artists in their creative process, especially women, who were the founding artists and carriers of this artistic expression, and by promoting green initiatives as part of what they refer to as "The Jungle Project" to fight the fast industrialization and modernization of the village society.

Image Credit - Vayeda Brothers

By participating in international exhibitions and residencies, producing ambitious illustrated book projects, and leaving their mark on massive murals around the globe, they are bringing about a truly innovative vitality.

Image Credit - Vayeda Brothers

Two examples of these murals are the facade of the India Art Fair in New Delhi, which will be modified into a "Forest of the Future" in February 2023, and the Sassoon Docks seascape for the Mumbai Urban Arts Festival. The Vayeda Brothers are blurring the lines between folk and art forms with their culturally rich artworks.