Explore the rich heritage of India and the vibrant world of Air India's beloved mascot, Maharaja which embodies the country's diversity and cultural traditions. Led by Art Educator, Tejal Mehta, this workshop will immerse you in the world of contemporary art honing your self-expression, creativity, and artistic techniques. Delve into Maharaja's captivating world, his significance as a cultural icon, and use your artistic skills to create captivating artworks inspired by his charm and elegance that continues to inspire artists and serves as a reminder of the artistic and cultural richness of India.
Let's get inspired and embark on an artistic adventure with the charming Maharaja!
Highlights:
> Interactive exploration of the "Maharaja's Treasure: Select
Works of Art from the Famed Air India Collection at the National Gallery of
Modern Art, Mumbai" exhibition, featuring iconic works by contemporary
Indian artists.
> Introduction to contemporary art and artworks by renowned Indian artists that were part of Air India’s collection since beginning.
> Hands-on activities where you create your own Maharaja artwork using drawing, coloring, and collage techniques, guided by Art Educator Tejal Mehta and the Art Wizards Team.
Tejal Mehta is an art educator and founder of Art Wizards. Art Wizards runs Art programs for all age groups from 4- 99. Founders, Radhika and Tejal are passionate about Art and teaching after school art, Studio art and a variety of Art and Craft workshops. They share a common vision of helping children and adults to discover their artistic abilities and freely express themselves. They have worked with various medium, art forms and styles and have has the opportunity to introduce the beauty of art to hundreds. Art is a universal language, each one of us is creative and with some guidance the artistic streak in us blossoms. Radhika and Tejal are passionate about Art and teaching after school art, Studio art and a variety of Art and Craft workshops.
Read moreMaharaja - The Air India Mascot
Maharaja made a debut in 1946 and soon became India’s favorite travel ambassador. Booby Kooka engaged Umesh Rao, an artist from J. Walter Thompson in Mumbai, and together they brought the mascot to life. Maharaja was not just used in all the Air India ad campaigns but also in brochures, menu cards, information booklets, and almost everywhere, soon becoming synonymous with the name Air India and it won numerous awards for the company. The Maharaja had a unique style and charm in his personality making him very real and he was almost like a friend to every Air India passenger, reaching out to them with a lot of love, warmth, and hospitality even in the remotest corner of the world. Maharaja was represented in various avatars from different parts of the world, in Tokyo he dressed in a kimono and participated in sumo wrestling; in Geneva, he rejoiced beer; sold flowers in Europe and rowed a sampan in Hong Kong.
Avinash Godbole
Avinash was a contemporary artist from Pune, he completed his graduation from the Sir JJ School of Arts in Mumbai during the years 1950-55. He was an art teacher and also worked as a freelance artist. He worked as a senior visualizer in an advertising agency in Mumbai from 1970 to 76. Later in his career, he was the Art Director at Rediffusion Advertising, Mumbai. During his working years, he designed a calendar for Gold Spot, a soft drink brand and he also made a portfolio of 9 postcards with a theme of Ragmala inspired by Indian classical melodies for the Air India Collection. This total of nine postcards represents Raga Malkaus, Raga Darbari Kanada, Raga Kafi, Raga Bhairava, Raga Todi, Raga Vasanta, Raga Hindola, Raga Dipaka, and Raga Megha Mallara.
More About Ragmala
The word Ragmala has its origin in the Sanskrit language, and it means “garland of ragas”. It is described as a series of paintings that depict a range of musical melodies known as ragas. The root word ‘raga’ means color, mood, and delight. The depiction of these various moods was among the favored subjects in Indian court paintings, especially Miniature paintings. The ancestry of the Ragmala painting genre can be traced back to the 5th to 7th-century Brihaddeshi treatise, however, the first specific painting was seen in the second half of the 15th century. ‘Love’ is evoked as a range of specific emotions (rasa), considered as the amalgamation subject of a rag mala they have a corresponding musical form. The musical modes are also associated with a range of seasons including early winter, winter, spring, summer, monsoon, and autumn, and various times of the day, dawn, night, dusk, and so on.
A brief introduction to Contemporary Art
The art made later than the 20th century till the current day is known as contemporary art. Hence, it’s also popular as the art of today/present day. Focused on the broad contextual frameworks ranging from political and cultural themes of identity including advancing technologies this art tries to respond to the modern times we live in. Contemporary artists follow a direction of innovation and put new ideas into action without inhibiting representation while experimenting with a different range of concepts, mediums, and methods.
