Although the tradition of visual arts is hardly visible in any folk objects except for the limited designs and patterns in weaving and basketry, the emergence of European art through British colonial administrators and Christian churches, particularly the Roman Catholic Church has greatly influenced some aspiring artists of the time. The prominent among them are Antony Canton Lyngwa, Fluentist Marbañiang, Michael Lyngdoh, Mawkordor Sohtun, Moris Kharbyngar and Marius Maiñsing Shanpru, and a few others. Few of the creative artists that have ventured on their own without any patronisation like Bashar Rai Dohling are the two brothers Tied Sing Roy and Weng Sing Roy Kharphanbuh. Both of them have also undergone their studies at Kala Bhavan, Viswa Bharati University, Santiniketan. Unfortunately, they landed up in white-collar jobs within the region and could hardly continue their passion for art. The primary patron of art during the nineteenth century was the Roman Catholic Church with Antony Canton Lyngwa and Marius Maiñsing Shanpru as the main beneficiaries. Antony Canton Lyngwa did the paintings at the Church of Mary Help of Christians, Laitumkhrah and subsequently engaged in the paintings of stage backdrops for the theater performances initiated by the Roman Catholic missionaries and the Don Bosco institutions. Thereafter, he had done several stage paintings across the villages in Khasi and Jaintia Hills. One of the finest artists, Mr Marius Maiñsing Shanpru was an apprentice under Rev. Fr Ignatius Rubio at the Archbishop’s House, Shillong. He had done extensive biblical paintings for the church in the erstwhile Shillong-Guwahati Archdiocese, which included the entire North Eastern States. Simultaneously, he was employed at the Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Government of Meghalaya, and did some artworks that have bagged national awards during the display of tableaus at the Republic Day parade at New Delhi. Moreover, Marius Maiñsing Shanpru has done many artworks for private and institutional collections including the museum at the Don Bosco Centre for Indigenous Cultures, Shillong. During his time, he was the most sought-after artist for his lifelike portrait paintings. Both Antony Canton Lyngwa and Marius Maiñsing Shanpru were regularly engaged in the mission works of the Roman Catholic Church, while other artists like Fluentist Marbañiang, Michael Lyngdoh, Mawkordor Sohtun, Moris Kharbyngar endeavoured for commercial assignments and few were employed as artists in various Government departments. The artists like Michael Lyngdoh and Mawkordor Sohtun had served in the Health Department, while Fluentist Marbañiang was an artist attached to the Arts and Culture Department, George Belthechezar Warren Kharkongor in the Tourism Department, Charmly L Thabah in the Agriculture Department, whereas Moris Kharbyngar worked as an independent commercial artist. As an artist, Mr. Fluentist Marbañiang of the Art and Culture Department created several artworks that depicted the rich cultural heritage of the State; however, most of his paintings were destroyed during the renovation of the temporary museum in the basement of the State Central Library complex. It is also interesting to note that the watchman of the Department, Naresh Tamang was a versatile artist who had painted several paintings that portrayed the local ambiance of the indigenous community and their land. Some of them adorned the main establishments of the State government like the Secretariat and the Arts and Culture complex.
Primarily, the local artists engaged in applied art and were confined to the traditional realistic paintings, with the enormous influence of the occidental style of paintings, with hardly any oriental touch or even a tinge of Indian art tradition. It was in 1987 that contemporary art was first introduced to the local artists of Meghalaya by the late Mainul Haque Barbhuiya, the then artist of Centre for Creative Arts, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. Initially, many aspiring, enthusiastic and leisure practitioners of visual arts including professionals and government officials converged in the group for the exposition of meaningful art display. The Meghalaya Artists’ Guild is the direct outcome of the effort supported and participated by musicians, dramatists, scholars, bureaucrats, technocrats and even small-time art practitioners and housewives. Since then art exhibitions were held almost annually and occasional workshops and art camps under the aegis of Lalit Kala Akademi, the State Government, and the North Eastern Hill University. Mainul Haque Barbhuiya played a pivotal role to ensure that modern art is inculcated in society and there were vigorous campaigns to promote art and provide counseling to the youngsters for pursuing their careers in art.
Most of the practitioners of visual arts are designers and applied artists in the commercial circuit and could hardly absorb the potential of contemporary art as sustainable economic, emotional, and intellectual investments. Therefore, gradually they resorted to the traditional practice of realistic art, and a few of them derided the validity of modern art in the local context. It was a great challenge to intervene in the concept of contemporary art even among the practitioners of the art. During that tumultuous situation, there are few sensitive artists that were receptive to the notion of modern art and indulged themselves in the innovation and discovery of the transformed pursuits of artistic expression. Meanwhile, few youths have pursued art education at various institutions in the country, with most in Santiniketan. Some of the early birds are Khrawkupar Lanong, Zareen Jyrwa, Priti C Nartiang, and Benedict Skhemlang Hynñiewta. The lack of scope for art practice and career in Meghalaya has compelled them to search for avenues elsewhere. Khraw Kupar Lanong had a sojourn in Europe and came back to town; Zareen Jyrwa pursued her career at Dubai and settled with her family; Priti C Nartiang completed her doctorate degree and settled with her family at Santiniketan; Benedict Skhemlang Hynñiewta got a job at the Centre for Cultural and Creative Studies, North Eastern Hill University, Shillong. In the meantime, with the Meghalaya Artists’ Guild becoming almost redundant, a few creative persons initiated another group for a broad-based inclusion of other forms of visual arts, including films, photography and theater. Riti Academy of Visual Arts was formulated under the leadership of Raphael Warjri in March, 1991. Later, another obliged group of Mr Mainul Haque Barbhuiya facilitated another version of art society with his insistence on the exclusive conventional disciplines of fine arts and crafts among the young artists, christened the Meghalaya Fine Arts and Crafts Society in 2004 and nominated the leadership upon Raphaphang Sohliya and Careen Jopthiaw Langstieh. The situation has created a rift among the art fraternity and some artists remarked as the colonial divide and rule policy indulged by certain opportunistic elements. Consequently, diverse opinions erupted, while the solidarity among the art fraternity was not affected as the local artists including Raphaphang Soliya and Careen Jopthiaw Langstieh participated in the Thoh Shun International Art Camp 2006 under the initiative of Riti Academy of Visual Arts.
Subsequently, the artworks were exhibited at the Thoh Shun Art Exhibition 2007 in Dhaka Bangladesh under the auspices of the Indian High Commission in Bangladesh, the Greater Sylhet Indigenous Peoples’ Forum, and the Art Club Bangladesh from Dhaka. Moreover, the local art fraternity instigated a home-grown initiative under the banner of the Meghalaya Artists’ Forum and hosted the ‘Thwet Art Workshop’ in 2008, and rigorously facilitated the intervention of the State Government. The endeavour was successful with a substantial amount of financial reward granted by the Art and Culture Department and facilitated by Riti Academy of Visual Arts to ensure that deserving artists are benefitted. The Khasi word ‘Thwet’ means Quest and for the local art fraternity, it is a metaphor of the quest for the roots and the search for the affable situation and cohesion among the local artists. Hence, the attempt to disrupt the harmony among the local artists was defeated, even as there are ideological differences between each group. The apt art event by Synod College titled ‘Eyeing Conflict: An Art Exhibition’ held as part of the International seminar “An Eye for an Eye: Conflict in South East Asia” has concretised the camaraderie among the local artists.
The vigorous and dynamic effort of every artist is always corroborated with the quality artworks of each artist; even as there are certain amateur and mediocre artisans that needed further improvement and refinement in the application as well as intellectual articulation. This is a common phenomenon in every society elsewhere in the world, but the difference is that the aesthetic culture and visual tradition are diverse from place to place. There is no denial to the fact that the western world has developed tremendously and sets the standard to the rest of the world. The growth of civilisation and the advancement of science and technology complemented economic progress and thereby facilitated the development of aesthetics in society and imbibed the favorable atmosphere for the art fraternity. A similar situation occurred in the mainstream society in the country at different levels, while the remote North Eastern Region including Meghalaya is yet to catch up with the rest of India. Nevertheless, the inherent aptitude of certain individual artists from the region has excelled at the international sphere with personal proficiency and acumen, and Shillong has produced eminent sculptor, Prithpal Singh Sehdave, popularly known as Ladi who is among the top artists in the country.
