Interview with Pragati Agarwal, Founder & Managing Director of Art Tree

An exclusive interview with Pragati Agarwal, Founder & Managing Director of Art Tree

A professional with an evolved career spanning nearly 35 years, Pragati Agarwal has enriched herself with the aesthetics and various nuances of many forms of art, besides learning all the marketing approaches to selling and promoting it.

She was instrumental in bringing Bruno Art Group of Israel to India, among others. It remains one of her most prized achievements as the presence of Bruno Art one of the most well-known galleries of the world to promote pop art and especially Jewish Masters, has firmly established itself in India.

Pragati Agarwal, with the right eye or ability to visually identify artists and quality, possesses an entrepreneurial spirit that few could boast of. Her enterprising spirit soared in different directions to help her explore other aspects of art.

Since many of us are not fortunate to follow are destined calling right from the word go, and discover our potential rather belatedly, she too, waited for the right constellation of stars to shower its blessings on her to go full steam into an independent career as an art curator. And so, before venturing into a full time career in art, she dabbled in many managerial and administrative occupations to perfect the overall position of an art communicator.

It was with this dream that she conceived and established Art Tree- an initiative to promote art and artists nearly nine years ago. 

To be an art curator requires multi-tasking as the job entails being responsible for a museum’s collection, selecting art to be displayed in a museum, organizing art exhibitions in galleries or public spaces, researching artists, and writing catalog essays.

She also works on administrative tasks, such as figuring out exhibition budgets, fundraising, and grant writing. Therefore, she gets fully involved in utilizing her business, marketing, public relations, and fundraising qualities. Art curators also need to be skilled communicators as they are often the mediators between the museum, the artist, and the public.

Can you share the inspiration and motivation behind starting Art Tree and your vision for sustaining the folk art of India through this initiative?

Pragati Agarwal: About 10 years back I started promoting contemporary art when I realised that folk artists across India are talented but not so lucky to know the avenues to showcase their art and hence Art Tree was conceived to promote Indian art in the year 2013-14.

We began our initiative by promoting contemporary art but during our journey, we felt a great void for Indian folk art and decided to tread in that direction. It was a passion to showcase our cultural heritage and there was no looking back from there on.

Folk art is an integral part of India’s rich cultural heritage. How does Art Tree work to promote and curate folk art, and what sets your approach apart from other art initiatives?

Pragati Agarwal: Art Tree works to support the art forms and artists. The art forms have sustained themselves for generations. We are more art form-specific rather than artist-specific. This sets us apart. We reach out to these folk artists from across India, you can literally say from Kashmir to Kanyakumari, through various means of communications and based on our theme we get the artworks made, before exhibiting from time to time at renowned venues to be able to give them the platform to showcase the art form to the right audience.

India boasts a wide variety of folk-art forms. Could you provide some insights into the diverse forms of folk art that Art Tree showcases and supports, and their significance in preserving traditional culture?

Pragati Agarwal: We actively support Madhubani, Warli, Phad, Gond, Rajasthani Miniatures, Pichwai, Sanjhi to name a few. No art is made in isolation. Most folk art is region-based and therefore, each art form represents the life, environment, culture life practices and daily or religious life of the region. The exceptions are Pichwai, Sanjhi and Miniatures.

Sanjhi represents the leelas of Krishna, Pichwai is for decorative purposes behind Shrinathji and most miniatures are either based on books or are documentation of heroics of kings or portraiture.

How do you identify and collaborate with folk artists from different regions of India, and what support does Art Tree provide to help these artists preserve and showcase their work?

Pragati Agarwal: We look for artists of the region or form we want to represent. Then we reach out to them with the topic we have in mind and jointly help them create works. We tell them and convince them to follow the traditional methods and techniques. The main aim is to preserve the traditional way of doing it. We give them a platform to showcase and talk about their works’ history and traditions.

Art Tree’s exhibitions and curation play a pivotal role in bringing folk art to a wider audience. Could you share some memorable experiences or success stories from these exhibitions?

Pragati Agarwal: There are many experiences that can be shared, but one that stands out is- during one of our shows some art school students came to see the show, and told us that they had never visited any gallery… it was an eye opener for us…

We are trying to convince the artists to work on some new themes while sticking with the traditional methodology.

Folk art often faces challenges in terms of preservation and recognition. What are some of the challenges Art Tree has encountered in its mission, and how have you addressed them?

Pragati Agarwal: Most folk art forms have a very limited number of artists who are practising the art form. The heredity artists are not encouraging their children to come into their line of work because of economic reasons and the years of sadhana required.

This is one of the biggest challenges that we encounter. Also, most buyers don’t want to pay for Indian folk art as they have very little respect and knowledge of it. During our shows, we do curated walks and explain to the viewers about the art forms. It’s important to educate and inform people so that they understand our dharohar and take it forward.

Folk art and indigenous knowledge are closely connected. How does Art Tree contribute to the documentation and preservation of traditional knowledge through the work of folk artists? 

Pragati Agarwal: Folk art is indigenous not only to the country but also to each region. As most art is passed down generations orally and practically, very little has been documented. Also, Folk art goes through a process of evolution on a regular basis, as the artist paints what she/he sees and adds their element to it. Certain recurring themes and techniques need to be documented and shared with people.

Art Tree writes articles, posts videos and holds talks and lectures imparting these facets. A book is in the process.

What advice do you have for individuals and organizations looking to support and sustain folk art and indigenous artistic traditions, based on your experiences with Art Tree?

Pragati Agarwal: We need to broaden the base of information and knowledge about folk arts. Our younger generation needs to know and appreciate them. It’s our culture and heritage and we are slowly losing it to oblivion. It needs to be taught in schools and educational institutions for the forms to survive and thrive. 

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