Gauri Gill and Rajesh Vangad

Be inspired by artists Gauri Gill and Rajesh Vangad and make your own collaborative drawings
  • Making
  • Artwork
  • Key Stage 1
  • Key Stage 2
  • Key Stage 3
  • Key Stage 4
  • Key Stage 5
  • Drawing
  • Photography
  • Landscape
  • Environment
  • Identity
  • Community
  • Futures

    • You will need

    • A large sheet of paper per group of 2–4 students
    • Drawing materials, such as pens, pencils, pastels, ink and brushes

    Explore the artwork

    Gauri Gill, Rajesh Vangad
    The Eye in the Sky (2014–16)
    Tate

    © reserved

    Your students don’t need to know anything about an artwork or artist to start exploring it.

    Use these quick group activities to build their confidence and curiosity in sharing their first responses to the artwork. Some artworks they might like straight away, some they might not.

    Discovering art can be new, exciting and sometimes confusing. There are no right or wrong ways to respond!

    In pairs or as a group, take it in turns to imagine the artworks answering these questions and telling their story.

    • What are you made from?
    • When were you made?
    • What has happened here?
    • Do you want me to feel sad or joyful, or something else?
    • What else would you like to say?

    In pairs or as a group, use your body to respond to the artwork.

    • Mirror movements or shapes in the artwork
    • Imagine sounds the artwork might make
    • Trace the artwork in the air with your hands
    • Move like the artwork
    • What else could you do?

    About the artwork

    The Eye in the Sky 2014–16 is a photograph of Rajesh Vangad taken by Gauri Gill, as he looks out towards a mountain that is sacred to his community. Vangad then covered the photograph with ink drawings in the art style of his community, showing us his reflections on the landscape, on technology and how things have changed over time. Through this collaboration, both artists show us the world from their own perspectives, creating a shared image of the landscape.

    Gauri Gill and Rajesh Vangad are Indian artists who work in very different ways. Gill is a photographer who captures portraits of people across the world. Vangad practises a form of Indigenous art called Warli painting, developed by his community over centuries in Maharashtra, India. Both art styles show us the artists’ points of view and how they relate to the world around them.

    Content guidance

    This artwork explores the marginalisation of Indigenous communities in India and may bring up difficult emotions for some of your students. Consider how you could support open conversation and learning around this topic.

    Make

    Gill and Vangad prompt us to think about making art to tell stories from our own points of view. In this activity, create a collaborative artwork that explores your stories and the connections between you.

    1. In groups of 2–4, take a large sheet of paper.
    2. Each choose something to draw with and together, draw some shapes, symbols and images that represent your life.

      Warli art uses combinations of geometric shapes, such as circles, triangles and squares, to depict figures, icons and nature.

      What would you want to share with others?
      What represents you?

    ADAPT

    On smaller sheets of paper, each make an individual drawing then cut them out and stick them onto a large sheet of paper to make the collaborative drawing.

    Add in photographs of the class – on your own and in groups – to represent you and the connections between everyone.

    Create a collection or display of objects that are important to your classmates and celebrate it together.

    3. As you draw, share your stories with your group. What links you to each other?

    4. Continue until the page is full of everyone’s drawings.

    5. Now pick a new colour and draw connections between the parts of each other's drawings that you can relate to. Experiment with different types of lines: dotted lines, thick lines, wiggly lines – or invent your own type of line!

    6. At the end of your lesson, find each other’s drawings and celebrate the artwork you’ve just made!

    What have you learned by working collaboratively with your peers?

    What new connections have you discovered between you?

    Extend

    Invite your students to take photographs of spaces that are important to them and to print them out.

    Then repeat the collaborative drawing activity using each other’s photos as the starting point, just like Gauri Gill and Rajesh Vangad.

    How do the drawings change when responding to a photograph?

    Experiment with adding further layers onto your artwork – using tracing paper, acetate or tissue paper.

    How to use art makes

    Making art is a powerful way to learn new skills, explore ideas and express ourselves creatively. Encourage your students to discover new materials, techniques and methods inspired by great artists at Tate.

    1. Prepare
    • Project the artwork in your classroom and/or print off copies for your students to have in front of them.

    2. Explore (10 minutes)

    • Invite your students to respond to the artwork through the group activity.
    • Read the background information on the artwork and the artist.

    3. Make (30 minutes)

    • Follow the step-by-step instructions.
    • Use the Adapt section for accessible alternatives to this activity.
    • Use the Extend activity within the same lesson or in a future session.

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