The last year has been quite transformative for India’s traditional artists. As exhibitions got cancelled and inventories began piling up, they started looking at alternative ways to make a living. Pattachitra masks, Madhubani wall panels depicting scenes from the pandemic, and the like began popping up on e-stores and timelines. Brands, too, began doing their bit to help get them visibility.
The latest champion is Taru Naturals. The grassroots, fair trade movement that connects 10,000 tribal and small-scale farmers to markets has just launched its organic D2C (direct to consumer) brand — think stone-milled flour, ready-to-eat breakfast foods, indigenous grains, and more. What truly sets it apart, however, is its packaging featuring Gond art.
Developed by Saurav Roy, founder of Goa-based Roy Studio, the vibrant artwork not only showcases the story of the farming community but, as the Studio shared, it also pushes their ongoing efforts to “re-contextualise how design and craft can come together”. The artworks have been created in discussion with the artists, and the packaging features the individual’s name and where one can get in touch with them.
Each pack also sports a QR code — scan it to see the entire journey of the produce, from farm to table.
