In India’s forests, the tiger has long been more than a symbol of wildlife; it is kin, protector, and the elder. This bond between nature and communities was on display at Sankala Foundation's annual tribal art exhibition, Silent Conversation: From Margins to the Centre.

If they eat something, they first offer it to the tiger. If they are sleeping, they pray to the tiger for protection

- Divya Singh Rathore, curator, Silent Conversation: From Margins to the Centre

Now in its fourth edition, the annual exhibition has brought together over 50 artists from 30 tiger reserves, each translating the rhythms of forest life into paint, metal, or wood. The artworks on display —  from the crimson Aipan motifs of Uttarakhand to Assam’s Sattriya-inspired canvases - expound coexistence and restraint, ideas deeply embedded in tribal traditions, but increasingly rare in modern economies.

Tribal Communities' Tryst With Nature

The exhibition, held with the support of the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) and the International Big Cat Alliance, views art not just as a means of cultural preservation but also as a form of conservation in practice.

“Tribal communities have been living with nature for thousands of years,” says Rathore. “They are not in conflict with the forest; they are its protectors," Rathore points out. 

Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's tenure, the budget of the Ministry of Tribal Affairs has tripled, rising from nearly Rs 4,300 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 13,300 crore in 2024-25. 

The Pradhan Mantri Jan Jati Aadivasi Nyay Abhiyan (PM-Janman) has become a powerful mission for justice and dignity, besides the uplift of the tribal community. This initiative is transforming lives in 75 such communities across 11 states and 01 Union Territory, benefitting over 47 lakhs tribal people. An amount of Rs 24,000 crore has been allocated for the scheme.

Indeed, many of the participating artists belong to communities that inhabit India’s protected areas — Baiga, Gond, Nyishi, and Rathwa, whose customs regard the tiger as sacred. The Nyishi tribe of Arunachal Pradesh, for instance, refers to the tiger as "an elder brother". In the Baiga tradition of Madhya Pradesh, tattooing is seen as an adornment offered back to nature; in Mishmi folklore, a mother nursing both a child and a tiger cub embodies the shared motherhood of the forest.

Each canvas or crafted piece carried this ethos forward. In Stripes of Resilience, Odisha-based artist Niranjan Nayak portrayed the tiger’s decline as a tragedy. In a wrought-iron Loha Shilp from Madhya Pradesh, dancers and drummers celebrated the forest’s pulse. 

Platforms like these prevent our art from disappearing. After my work was exhibited, children from my community wanted to learn about it. That’s how preservation really happens.

- Aman Lade, an artist from Maharashtra 

The Orange Economy Connection

At the accompanying National Conference on Tribal Arts and India’s Conservation Ethos, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat announced that tribal artists will form part of India’s contingent at the 2026 Venice Biennale. 

The move, he said, reflects the government’s push to strengthen India’s Orange Economy — an economic model that derives value from creative industries such as painting, music, cinema, design, architecture, and even digital content. 

“To sustain any form of cultural and artistic heritage, it must be linked to livelihood and economic opportunity,” Shekhawat said.

For artists like Behelti Ama from Arunachal Pradesh, this link has already been taking root. “All my artworks in the previous editions were sold, and that makes me proud,” she said. “Now I want to build a dedicated audience for the Northeastern art forms. One day, I hope our traditions will be as recognised as Gond or Warli.”

The exhibition’s digital model, wherein buyers pay artists directly, adds financial transparency and inclusion. “All payments go straight to the artists’ accounts,” Rathore explains. “It’s also a form of digital inclusion, ensuring that they receive value without intermediaries.”

Creativity, Not Mere Consumption 

In a world of extractive industries, the idea of the orange economy offers a gentler alternative, one that draws from creativity rather than consumption. But its roots, as the exhibition reminds us, are far older.

Justice V. Ramasubramanian, Chairperson of the National Human Rights Commission, noted at the conference that forests have survived “only where tribals have lived.” The challenge, he said, lies in balancing development with the transmission of traditional knowledge to new generations.

That balance is at the heart of Silent Conversation. Beyond the aesthetic appeal lies a deeper narrative — of livelihoods that sustain both people and the planet. As one artwork from Ranthambore’s Pithora tradition put it, “Nature itself is God.”

“Art helps us transcribe that relationship. It is our way of speaking to the world,” said Tanya. 

A Silent Conversation, Still Speaking

Since its inception in 2023, Silent Conversation has evolved from an exhibition into a dialogue between policy and practice. The NTCA’s involvement links it to India’s tiger conservation network, while partnerships with IGRMS and IBCA lend it an institutional depth. 

Yet, its real strength lies in the stories of the artists themselves — guardians of culture, and of the forests they call home.

Their work reminds us that conservation is not just about saving species; it’s about sustaining ways of life that make coexistence possible.

And as India seeks to build an orange economy powered by creative enterprise, these communities may already hold the blueprint for an economy that grows.