Folk Arts Rajasthan: Objectives and Projects

Courtesy of Nils Preston Schlebusch

FAR Objectives

Merasi School and Music Merasi are twin educational initiatives weaving a new world of options for Merasi children
Seven Scholarship students are attending private school, then join their peers at Merasi School & Music Merasi

Community women crafting traditional Rajasthani folk art from recycled local materials are preserving their local culture and creating economic opportunity for themselves
Support them by visiting:
Earth and State: Media, PA
American Folk Art Museum: New York, NY
FAR recycled treasures Up From the Dust
Peaceable Kingdom: Providence, RI
Side Show in the American Visionary Art Museum: Baltimore, MD

The Merasi Counting Book featuring the art of Indra Banu
American Visionary Art Museum’s All Faiths Beautiful exhibit featured the work of LKSS Director Sarwar Khan (http://www.avam.org/exhibitions/index.html)
Keystone Bank Window Installation (Media, PA) featured the paintings of Sarwar Khan and Pinku Nath plus traditional fair trade crafts
Red Mill Gallery at Vermont Studio Center featured the paintings of Indra Banu and Sarwar Khan
The Johnson Gallery at Glen Urquhart School featured traditional folk craft fair trade items from LKSS in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan
Daughters of India by Stephen Huyler featuring Indra Banu; Painting Beyond the Margins

Onsite staffing and teaching jobs at Lok Kala Sagar Sansthan (LKSS) and Merasi School & Music Merasi classes
Music and dance programs in India and internationally

2004-2009: FAR and LKSS are supporting the collaborations of visiting professional musicians, academics, photographers, writers and filmmakers with the endangered Merasi Culture in Jaisalmer, India
The Hearts With Hope Tours are crucial in building a peaceful bridge while fostering the understanding of American students and audiences about the Merasi Legacy.
In turn, The Merasi community buoyed by the support, dignity, and respect received from American audiences are determined that their children will offer the same ancient art to international audiences for generations to come
The Hearts with Hope Tour:
2008: Building off the success of the first tour, LKSS/FAR brought the troupe MERASI to the United States for a two and a half month 55 venue cultural exchange tour with performances at The Kennedy Center, St. John the Divine Cathedral, American Visionary Art Museum, James Cohan Gallery, plus 25 public and private schools

2005: LKSS/FAR brought the troupe Rangeela to the United States for a two-month 53 venue cultural exchange tour with performances at The Smithsonian, The Portland Museum of Art, and over 35 public and private schools