Honouring Artistic Diversity With Chanakya’s Craft School
Chanakya’s Craft School’s practice highlights the necessity of local communities in maintaining the diversity of Indian traditions, says Karishma Swali, the school’s creative director. The institution’s collaboration with artisans, artists, craft practitioners, and other organisations dismantles perceived limits, making them adaptable and subjective. Swali points out that while we classify creative expressions as either craft, art, or design, the real essence is in the overarching idea of exploration. This perspective forms the core of the news derived from the source of Reader Wall.
‘Belong’: An Artistic Connection Between Man and Nature
An artwork series titled ‘Belong’ spontaneously immerses viewers into the eternal bond between humans and the natural world. The series plays with hand-spun yarns and layering techniques, using needlepoint techniques’ micro-variations to weave a narrative that reveres craft and its significance in culture, community, and identity preservation. Supplementary to this narrative, the series also displays sculptures handcrafted with bamboo, terracotta, and basket weaving techniques, paying homage to the enduring feminine spirit.
Common Nouns: Exploring Inspirations
‘Common Nouns’ is an exhibition showcasing digital art by 15 contemporary designers/artists. According to Sanjay Garg, the founding designer, this exhibition aims to underline the connectedness of art, design, and fashion, the overlapping presence which he believes is inherent in each discipline. Raw Mango identifies itself as a design brand that is part of cultural movements, hence the reason why its chronology and influence are examined at the exhibition.
Artists Exploring Emotions and Depth Through Collaboration
Couturier Tarun Tahiliani asserts that the intersection of art and design has always existed. However, our perspective has only recently adapted to recognise it. He believes current aesthetics transcend surface-level interpretation as artists and designers delve into exploring emotions and depth through their collective efforts.
Reinterpreting Traditional Techniques with Pichwai Wall Art
The Tarun Tahiliani Design Studio embarked on a journey into the realm of wall art in 2020 with the aim of honoring traditional techniques and keeping generational crafts alive through modernisation. Experiments with storytelling through craft on formless textiles have resulted in creations like their rendition of Pichwai and embroidered walls.
A Blossoming of Creativity in Design
Vikram Goyal, founder of a design venture, observes an increase in attention given to collectible design globally over the past decade. This trend is reflected in India as well, where an abundance of craft to work with sparks creativity in design, making the country a site of interest from a collectable standpoint. The intersection of art, design, and craft is particularly noteworthy, he says.
‘Silken Passage’ and ‘Song of the Forest’: Inspired Design
The India Art Fair features several pieces from the Vikram Goyal Studio. One of them is ‘Silken Passage’, a three-dimensional mural inspired by the Silk Road. This piece utilises studio’s signature repoussé work to depict the Silk Road’s representation across six countries – Italy, Turkey, Iran, India, China, and Japan. The studio also unveils a new design language incorporating elements of sheet hammering, casting, and the use of semi-precious materials. This collection titled ‘Song of the Forest’, consists of mirrors, sconces, coffee tables and a pair of screens, all inspired by the Indian mangroves’ shades and textures.
