Bhubaneswar: In the contemporary market-driven economy, many skilled craftsmen could not get their due credit due to lack of a proper forum to approach the national and global markets.
In this context, the 10-day national workshop and fair of tribal art and crafts at the Museum of Tribal Arts and Artifacts located at the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes Research and Training Institute (SCSTRTI) here boosts tribal artisan’s hope for access to urban markets. The event concluded on Sunday.
Organised jointly by the SCSTRTI and the Indira Gandhi Rashtriya Manav Sangrahalaya (IGRMS), Bhopal, the workshop and fair aimed to preserve, promote and popularise tribals’ traditional arts and crafts. ST and SC Development Department Director SK Popli said, “Odia artists lack the commercial approach. Their skills should be modernised to approach market and explore scopes from traditional to global economy. This event provided a platform to bring together talented tribal artists and the craftsmen to interact among themselves and develop their skill through cross-cultural interactions.”
The workshop registered participation of 71 master tribal craftsmen and artists from nine States — Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Manipur, Nagaland, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. The artisans were encouraged to interact with different resource persons in the first half whereas the second half was open for display of the arts and crafts for visitors. The craftsmen and artisans were also guided on promotion of their arts and crafts to earn a sustainable livelihood.
“It is an attempt to give recognition to tribal artists and enhance the possibility of imitation and interaction. We placed the Bonda and Manipuris together so that they could learn from each other,” said Popli.
Making and processing of various tribal textiles, paintings, jute, cane, bamboo and paddy crafts and decorative items were on demonstration. Works of the tribal artisans from Nilgiri, Toda in Tamil Nadu, Bheel and Gond painters, Madra paintings from Rajasthan, Muria painting of Chhattishgarh, weaving art of Manipur, textiles of Bonda tribes and Saura paintings from Odisha were highly appreciated. However, terracotta, dhokra and lacquer works were missing.
Though representing their traditions, some tribal artisans seemed to adapt to the changes and make compromises to cater to the modern market needs. The changes were highly reflected in the Saura paintings of Odisha where some trained artists from the Bhubaneswar-based BK College of Arts and Crafts fused contemporary art in the Saura paintings. Concepts and themes of paintings that should be based on the folk lore and folk culture of the respective tribes have changed. Poster and acrylic colours replaced the organic colours. All this to “increase the sale,” said young Saura painters.
But most of artisans prefer to stick to their base and are out of this trend of modernisation. “Now a days, we are using poster colours because in traditional ways rice flour is used to prepare colour which is a time consuming process,” said Worli painter Vijay.
With changing time the concept or theme of painting has changed and modern concepts have got their ways to these folk paintings that generally take two to three days to make a small painting. “I have made paintings with airport and platform as my themes. But we never compromise with the traditional symbols and motifs. The figuratives we use would not change,” assured the young tribal artist.
Engaged in textile making, Dongria Kondh girls Suoy Wadaka, Thapada Kantha, Timi Jakesia and Tabli Kadraka can manage to earn Rs 200 per cloth that takes three months to complete if they work everyday. In market, each piece of cloth sells from Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,500. “We work whole day at Dongar (jungle land) and make cloths in night. They say that only foreign people will buy this,” said a Dongaria Kondh girl, who was not very hopeful about the local market.
Yet, the locals did not disappoint the tribal artisans and the event registered good sales. “No modern decorative can match the charm of these bamboo and paddy craft products. As home decorative, these products are not only beautiful, affordable and durable but are very useful in daily life. We are definitely purchasing a lot,” said Avipsa Mishra and Sagarika, students of the Triveni Academy, who along with their friends were found in a shopping mood.
Throughout the event, the SCSTRTI complex turned into a national tribal haat. The event pulled crowds because of the ethnic ambience welcoming visitors to a world of pristine tribal arts and crafts from across the nation.
No comments:
Post a Comment