New Exhibition: What Makes Us Smile: Selections from Children's Art of India

Overview

Children’s Art of India comprises 128 drawings and paintings by young artists, 5-12 years of age. Collected by Teachers College Alumna and Associate Adjunct Faculty Ami Kantawala in the early 2000s for her masters’ thesis entitled, “Colonial Connections, Postcolonial Disconnections: Towards a Reconciliation of Indian Art Education”, this collection lends insight into Indian children’s understanding of themselves, their environment and history. Both Eastern and Western influences are seen in their artwork, reflecting spiritual, cultural, and scial dimensions of country, village, and city life.

Many of the students were asked by their art teachers, What Makes You Happy? Or, What Makes You Smile? – prompts for creative expression at a time when Indian art education, while present in the curriculum, was not considered strong in comparison with math or science. What Makes Us Smile: Selections from Children’s Art of India focuses on their representations of nationalism, festivals and celebrations, nature’s beauty, gatherings or socialization, and acts of generosity or kindness, to spread a joyful glimpse into life and culture in India, as they blended East and West into the classroom.

Supplementing the artworks are children’s books from the contemporary children’s literature and curriculum collections, drawing upon a rich history of collecting by the Gottesman Libraries in support of academic and research programs of the College.

Festivals and Celebrations

Religious festivals and celebrations are prominent in children’s depictions of happiness, with colorful, vibrant artwork showing people, deities, and traditions.

Holi, known as the “Festival of Colors” was celebrated on March 14th, 2025 to commemorate the divine love between Radha and Krishna, marked by the playful throwing of colored powders and water to evoke kindness, hope, and joy.

Gokulashtami (Krishna Janmashtami) will be celebrated on August 16th, 2025, in observance of the birth of Lord Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu who is widely revered among Hindu divinities as the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love.Ganesh Chaturthi or Vinayaka Chaturthi is a popular Hindu festival that begins on August 27th, 2025, the birthday of Lord Ganesha, the “remover of obstacles and bringer of good luck”; as well as a prominent patron of the arts and sciences, intellectuals, authors, scribes, and bankers.

Ganesh Chaturthi is a 10-day festival with rituals, prayers, cultural programs, and more. Shree Ganesh, or Ganapati, is a revered Hindu deity, the elephant-headed god and lord of new beginnings.

Diwali, the ''Festival of Lights'', is celebrated every year across multiple states by Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains in northern, western, and eastern India. On October 21st, 2025, family gatherings, feasts, and fireworks for Diwali will take place in honor of the victory of the forces of light or good, over darkness or evil.

Christmas is a major Christian holiday celebrated annually on December 25th, commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, with illuminated fir trees, gift exchanges, and church services.

Nationalism

The national flag of India is horizontal, striped with saffron, white, and green, with a navy-blue Ashoka Chakra (a 24-spoke wheel) at its center. Known as Tiraṅgā, the tricolor became the official flag of the Union of India on August 15th, 1947 – symbolizing courage, peace, truth, fertility, and the eternal wheel of law (Dharma). 

A leader of the Indian National Party and former President of the Indian National Congress, Subhas Chandra Bose (1897-1945) was influential in the Indian Independence Movement against British rule. While his approach differed from Gandhi’s nonviolent methods of protesting, Bose was considered a hero among many Indians in his dedication to the fight for freedom.

Nature's Beauty

India’s national parks, wildlife, rivers, beaches, desert and mountains with their varied climates support tens of thousands of living species and a wide range of flora and fauna. Appreciation for the natural beauty of India, including its sea life, shines through, with many artworks from the collection focusing on the monsoon. Critical to agriculture is the period of torrential rain, June through September, influenced by the Himalayas, Thar Desert, and the Indian Ocean which respectively serve as a barrier, create low-pressure, and provide moisture. Many rivers, seen as goddesses or divine entities, are revered in Hinduism, with the Ganges being the most sacred.

Gatherings

Social or family gatherings – where we give our time, care, and love – foster children’s ability to interact positively with others, build strong relationships, and thrive through shared experiences in various settings. School, soccer, field trips, beach outings, and family picnics are prime examples. 

We see kindness, generosity, care, and love for one’s country, culture, beliefs, and traditions through the eyes of children in India who put pen, pencil, and paintbrush to paper.

Historical Notes

At Teachers College, Columbia University there were “India Scholarships” from 1911-1913. From 1923-1938, there were growing numbers of foreign students, including Indian students – not unrelated to the work of the International Institute of Education. Teachers College brought American democratic education abroad through direct faculty participation in the reform of foreign educational systems and the professional training of foreign students and educational leaders. 

Teachers College, Columbia University engaged most with India in the 1950s -1960s, via USAID projects, programs, and other activities, including the construction in New Delhi of the National Institute of Education, also known as the National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration. Leading faculty conducted diplomatic visits, textbook research, curriculum reform, and broad educational surveys and assessments. Examples include: George Bereday, Professor of Education, Sociology, and Juvenile Law (Section on India, Year Book of Education, 1956, with lectures to the Peace Corps in India); David Scanlon, Professor of International Education (visit to the Ministry of Education in India, 1959); Henry Harap, Alumnus and Educational Consultant to India (Improvement of Curriculum in Indian Schools, New Delhi: Ministry of Education, Government of India, 1959); Gordon Mackenzie, Head of the Department of Curriculum and Teaching, Educational Consultant to India (“Educational Problems in India and the United States”, Teachers College Record, 1959, vol. 60, no. 7), and John Laska, Research Associate, Institute of International Studies (Planning and Educational Development in India, New York: Teachers College Press, 1968). 

Acknowledgements

This exhibit is offered with many thanks to Dr. Ami Kantawala, who donated the Children’s Art of India Collection in 2023; The Myers Foundations, for their continuing exhibition support; the Special and Digital Collections team, who preserved and digitized artworks now accessible through Teachers College Digital Collections; Soeun Bae, Library Associate / Art and Design; and, especially, the children of India, who brighten our days through art.

Where: Offit Gallery

When:  April 4th  - May 30th

Poster Images:  

Holi-Festival of Colors, Artist Unknown, Children's Art of India, Courtesy of Teachers College, Columbia University.

ShreeGanesh, by Shashank J. Chauhar, Children's Art of India, Courtesy of Teachers College, Columbia University.