Beasts of India - Kanchana Arni and Gita Wolf

Beasts of India by Kanchana Arni and Gita Wolf with various artists / ISBN 9789383145584 / A handmade silk-screened 48-page hardcover, about 7 x 7 inches, from Tara Books (India)

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Here are India’s best-known beasts — tiger, elephant, deer, snake… rendered by a variety of folk and tribal artists. Each of their artistic traditions conceives of the beast in distinctive ways, as original in the imagining as it is in the rendering. This handmade book is a new updated version of our classic Beasts of India, long out of print. Individually screenprinted on handmade paper, this wonderful introduction to Indian painting styles is an art and book lover’s dream.

Kanchana Arni has taught art and craft at schools in India and Thailand. She was also a curator and acquisitions manager in a folk art gallery in New Delhi. Arni has been closely associated with various book projects in tribal and folk art, and has conducted numerous workshops for children.

Gita Wolf is the founder of Tara Books, and has written nearly 25 books for children and adults. Considered one of the most original and creative voices in contemporary Indian publishing, she has pursued her interest in exploring and experimenting with the form of the book and its status as a revered cultural object. Several of her children’s books have won major international awards, including the Bologna Ragazzi New Horizons Award.