Folk Art & understanding of community based art project

By Manju Rajak | Dept. of Fine Arts, Manipur University

Learners enrolled: 201

The course is designed for the students who are interested in interdisciplinary arts, post-modern art and indigenous art heritage- knowledge system and collaborative projects. The course is structured into many layers. The course is focused on student who are eager to enjoy learning Art.

Course language – Assamese with English subtitles.

In this course the main focus is on indigenous Art Practice (world indigenous art), community-based Art learning, research Based Art Practice and how students can develop collaborative projects using different strategies. Indigenous knowledge transmitted from one generation to next generation and difficult to archive are being highlighted in this course.

The course is structured in such a way that students will be able to learn the history of Art. How to do research in Art Practice, How Interdisciplinary Practices are happening. What is the importance of folk -Indigenous Art and Contemporary Art in today’s society and the Role of contemporary art practice and collaboration.

The main focus area are:

• Human emotion, visual language and story telling

• Indigenous art and heritage

• Contemporary Art projects and collaboration

• Artist role in the society

The majority of indigenous people in the world are from the marginalized backgrounds. The art they produce, the environment they live in has a profound effect on their psychology and their story are depicted through their art. In this course we have discussed different art practices from cultural practice to post modern art practice, tribal art, folk art in North East India etc.

In Today’s time an artist plays important role. If an artist fails to play their role than there will be no importance of Art in the society. That’s why it is called alienation of art. 21st century is dependent on technology. If artist develop collaborative project with communities then we can see a different impact in the society. Therefore, the course is very beneficial to all students and institutions.

Summary

Course Status :	Upcoming
Course Type :	Core
Language for course content :	Assamese
Duration :	10 weeks
Category :	Arts
Credit Points :	4
Level :	Undergraduate
Start Date :	12 Jan 2026
End Date :	30 Apr 2026
Enrollment Ends :	28 Feb 2026
Exam Date :	17 Jun 2026 IST
Translation Languages :	Assamese
NCrF Level	5.0
Exam Shift :	I

Note: This exam date is subject to change based on seat availability. You can check final exam date on your hall ticket.

Page Visits

Course layout

WEEK 1	1. Modernism in Indian Art- Part 1
	2. Modernism in Indian Art- Part 2
	3. Modernism in Indian Art- Part 3
	4. Modernism in Sculpture in West
WEEK 2	5. Modernism in Sculpture in India
	6. Modernism in Western Art
	7. Modern Art in Assam
	8. Contemporary Art of Assam
WEEK 3	9. Brief Introduction of Folklore-Part-1
	10. Introduction to Folk Art and Craft in North East India- Part-1
	11. Introduction to Folk Art and Craft in North East India- Part-2
	12. Introduction to Folk Art and Craft in North East India- Part-3
WEEK 4	13. Introduction to Folk Art and Craft in North East India- Part-4
	14. Documentary Screening
	15. Documentary Screening
	16. Documentary Screening
WEEK 5	17. Folk Art in India – Part-1
	18. Folk Art in India – Part-2
	19. Cultural Anthropology and Art – Part-1
	20. Brief Introduction of Folklore – Part-2
WEEK 6	21. Brief Introduction of Folklore – Part-2.1
	22. Indigenous Art Practice of India – Part-1
	23. Indigenous Art Practice of India – Part-2
	24. Introduction to Community Based Art Project – Part-1
WEEK 7	25. Introduction to Community Based Art Project – Part-2
	26. Brief Understanding of Interdisciplinary Art Practice – Part-1
	27. Brief Understanding of Interdisciplinary Art Practice – Part-2
	28. Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Art Practices of Contemporary India – Part-1
WEEK 8	29. Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Art Practices of Contemporary India – Part-2
	30. Importance of Community Based Art Project – Part-1
	31. Importance of Community Based Art Project – Part-2
	32. Importance of Community Based Art Project – Part-3
WEEK 9	33. Cultural Anthropology and Art – Part-2
	34. Brief Understanding of Research Based Art Project – Part-1
	35. Brief Understanding of Research Based Art Project – Part-2
	36. Brief Understanding of Research Based Art Project – Part-3
WEEK 10	37. Art and Society
	38. Cultural Practice and Art Practice – Part-1
	39. Cultural Practice and Art Practice – Part-2
	40. Contemporary Society and Alienation of Art

Books and references

References:

• Mitter, Partha : The Triumph of Modernism: India’s Artists and the Avant-Garde 1922-1947.

• Hill, Wes : How Folklore Shaped Modern Art, A Post-Critical History of Aesthetics. 2015.

• Dalmia, Yashodhara. The Making of Modern Indian Art: The Progressives. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2001.

• Dehejia, Vidya. Indian Art. London: Phaidon Press, 1997.

• Guha-Thakurta, Tapati. The Making of a New “Indian” Art: Artists, Aesthetics and Nationalism in Bengal, c.1850–1920. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1992.

• Jain, Jyotindra. Kalighat Painting: Images from a Changing World. Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing, 1999.

• Kapur, Geeta. When Was Modernism: Essays on Contemporary Cultural Practice in India. New Delhi: Tulika Books, 2000.

• National and International journals on Contemporary Installation Art.

• Gupta Charu, Smita: Indian Folk and Tribal Paintings. 31 December 2008

• Saha, R., & Ahmad, F. (2022). The expansion of new media art in Indian visual art practices: An analysis. ResearchGate.

• ShodhKosh. (2021). An emerging new media art form. Granthaalayah Publication. https://www.granthaalayahpublication.org/Arts-Journal/ShodhKosh/article/view/571/645

• Ratn, A., & Deeba, F. (2023). Analyzing the challenges and prospects of new media art in India. ResearchGate.

• Gallery Splash. (2022). New media art in India: Beyond the canvas. https://www.galleriesplash.com/site/blogsview?id=11

• MAP Academy. (2021). Contemporary Indian art. https://mapacademy.io/article/contemporary-indian-art/

Instructor bio

Manju Rajak

Dept. of Fine Arts, Manipur University

Manju Rajak is an Assistant Professor in The Dept of Fine Arts, Manipur University. She completed her Masters and Graduation in Sculpture discipline from Kala Bhavana, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan, West Bengal. She has completed course work for PhD programme from Anthropology Dept, Manipur University. She has worked in different cities like Delhi, Guwahati and Bangalore. She is presently working as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Fine Arts, Manipur University.

Manju Rajak’s works are engaged with the strong notion of constructive and deconstructive visualization, fictional and surreal and sometimes represent the direct notion of reality. Her works are engaged with the historical, anthropological, sociological research, documentation and theories from the perspective of the indigenous life to contemporary culture, where the surrounding life, literature, cultural life, humanity carries an important space. Her influence has come from the everyday social behaviour, ideologies of indigenous to cosmopolitan cultural life. The ideas of so-called social construction (the problems in contemporary society), community history and social class and position, narratives of indigenous philosophy, oral history and theories, their lost cultural heritage (marginalised community who suffered from social dignity, culture, migration), cultural hybridization, rituals and folk forms of art, folk knowledge system creating a space in her work where new dialogues emerge. She works with the community and uses research methods, documentation, video, collaboration, installation and sculptural process in her work. She has done several projects on community art. Her practice is not limited to certain materials, she also does sculptures, drawings, use new media tools and methods according to the process of work. She use research methods in her works, sometimes it comes from the personal journey and then develop process with the community and end with collaboration.

Course certificate

1. End-Term Examination

· Weightage: 70% of the final result

· Minimum Passing Criteria: 40%

2. Internal Assessment

· Weightage: 30% of the final result

· Minimum Passing Criteria: 40%

Calculation of Internal Assessment Marks:

The top 50% of graded weekly assessments/assignments shall be considered for the computation of the final Internal Assessment score.

Eligibility for SWAYAM Credit Certificate:

Learners securing a minimum of 40% marks separately in both the Internal Assessment and the End-Term Proctored Examination shall be eligible for the Credit Certificate.

SWAYAM Helpline / Support