craft reaseach & documentation

8/4/2019 Craft Reaseach & Documentation

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CRAFT REASEACH &

DOCUMENTATION

SHANTINIKETAN


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SHANTINIKETAN

Shantiniketan is a small town near Bolpur in theBirbhum district of West Bengal, India,approximately 180 kilometres north of Kolkata(formerly Calcutta). It was made famous by Nobel

Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, whose visionbecame what is now a university town (Visva-Bharati University) that attracts thousands ofvisitors each year.Santiniketan is also a tourist

attraction because Rabindranath wrote many ofhis literary classics here, and his house is a placeof historical importance.


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Craft

A craft is a branch of profession that requires some particular kindof skilled work. In historical sense, particularly as pertinent to theMedieval history and earlier, the term is usually applied towardspeople occupied in small-scale production of goods

Historically, craftsmen tended to concentrate in urban centers and

formed the guilds. Trade occupation and the need to bepermanently involved in the exchange of goods also demanded agenerally higher level of education and in societal hierarchy thecraftsmen were usually in a more privileged position than thepeasantry.

The households of the members of the society occupied in trade

professions were not as self-sufficient as of those engaged inagricultural work and, as such, had to rely on exchange of goods.


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Once an apprentice of a craft had finished his apprenticeship, he would become a

journeyman searching for a place to set up his own shop and make a living. After he

set up his own shop he could then be called a master of his trade.

This system of a stepwise approach to mastery of a craft which invokes the

obtainment of a certain amount of education and the learning of skills, has survived

in some countries of the world until today, although craft has undergone deep

structural changes during the era of the Industrial Revolution in which mass

production of goods of the industry has limited craft to areas of life which the

industry could not satisfy - due to its modes of functioning - or in which mass-

produced goods would not meet the preferences of potential buyers. Moreover, asan outcome of these changes, craftspeople increasingly make use of semi-finished

components or materials today, and accomplish and adapt such a kind of ware to

their customers' demands and, if necessary, to the environments of their customers,

taking it in hand, in case fitting-work is needed, and thus augment what the industry

already had produced - through participating in a certain division of labour betweenindustry and craft.

Craftsman is a person who is skilled in a particular craft or art.


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HANDICRAFT

Handicraft, more precisely expressed as artisanichandicraft, sometimes also called artisanry, is atype of work where useful and decorative devicesare made completely by hand or by using only

simple tools. It is a traditional main sector ofcraft. Usually the term is applied to traditionalmeans of making goods. The individualartisanship of the items is a paramount criterion,

such items often have cultural and/or religioussignificance. Items made by mass production ormachines are not handicraft goods.


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Usually, what distinguishes the term handicraft from the

frequently used category arts and crafts is a matter of intent:

handicraft items are intended to be used, worn, etc., having apurpose beyond simple decoration. Handicraft goods are

generally considered more traditional work, in traditional non-

industrial and transitional societies created as a somewhat more

necessary part of daily life (in comparison to industrial societies),while arts and crafts implies more of a hobby pursuit and a

demonstration/perfection of a creative technique. In Britain in the

late nineteenth century, however, the Arts and Crafts Movement

was not a matter of hobbies, but of creating useful as well as

creative work for people, using natural materials and traditionaltechniques. In practical terms, the categories have a great deal of

overlap.


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Crafts of shantiniketan

Kantha

Leather batik

Batik

Embossed leather


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kantha

Kantha comprises of the simplest stitch in the language ofembroidery - the running stitch. It is the way in which this stitch isused, in different arrangements, that forms the complexvocabulary of kantha.

Originally it was used to join layers of old saris, to make quilts. It

was also used as a means of self expression by both urban andrural women in Bengal.

The Sanskrit word kontha means 'rags.' One legend links theirorigins to Lord Buddha and his disciples, who used to coverthemselves with garments made from discarded rags that werepatched and sewn together. Rags displayed at Indian shrines or

tied to tree limbs symbolize prayers and wards off the evil eye.The oldest extant kantha date from the early 1800s and isembroidered with blue, black and red threads that wereunraveled from sari borders. Because they were salvaged fromused garments that had been frequently laundered, the colorstend to be muted.


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Types of kantha Lep kantha are rectangular wraps heavily padded to make warm

coverlets. The entire piece would be stitched in wavy, rippled designsover which simple embroidery was executed.

Sujani kantha are rectangular pieces of cloth used as blankets orspreads on ceremonial occasions.

Baiton kantha are square wraps used for covering books and other

valuables. They are elaborately patterned with borders of severalrows of colorful designs.

Oaar kantha are rectangular pillow covers in simple designs with adecorative border sewn around the edges.

Archilata kantha are small, rectangular covers for mirrors or toiletaccessories with wide, colorful borders in assorted motifs.

Durjani/thalia kantha are small rectangles with a central lotus designand embroidered borders. Three corners of the rectangle are foldedinward to form a wallet.

Rumal kantha are used as absorbent wipes or plate coverings. Theyalso feature a central lotus with ornamented borders.


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A Jaal or tessellation

The basic run

stitch done in arandom way.

the simple run

arranged evenly

A Jaal or tessellation

quilting - a stitch directory

of kantha


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batik

Batik is a process of decorating cloth by covering a part of itwith a coat of wax and then dyeing the cloth. The waxedareas keep their original color and when the wax isremoved the contrast between the dyed and undyed areasgives the pattern. One of the significant features of this art

is that it is very simple and can be done by anyone. Colorfulbatik prints grace the home furnishings with elegance andstyle. Beautiful bags, household linens, murals and wallpaintings with striking batik works enjoy a great demand inthe domestic and international market. The batik wall

hangings accentuate the walls with their bright colors andmotifs. Batik has also made its mark as impressive textileproducts. Batik printed kurtis, saris and wrappers are thepreferred choices of the fashion crazy populace.


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history

The history of Indian batik can be traced as farback as 2000 years. Indians knew resist methodof printing designs on cotton fabrics long before

any other country had even tried it. Indian cottonand dyes were very popular. The indigo blue wasone of the earliest dyes to be used. The elaborateprocess of dyeing and waxing was one of the

hitches that caused the art to decline. Batiktapestries were elaborate illustrations of the art,culture and traditions of the days of the yore.


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present Today batik designs have undergone changes with the

change of styles and tastes. A modern batik design is simple

yet attractive piece of art that captivates the variousnuances of modern life in a mesmerizing blend of colorsand patterns. However there is equal craze for traditionaland contemporary batik designs.

The art of batik is a three-stage process of waxing, dyeing and

dewaxing (removing the wax). There are also several sub-

processes like preparing the cloth, tracing the designs, stretching

the cloth on the frame, waxing the area of the cloth that does

not need dyeing, preparing the dye, dipping the cloth in dye,

boiling the cloth to remove wax and washing the cloth in soap.

Batik Technique


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The characteristic effects of the batik are the fine cracks that

appears in the wax, which allow small amounts of the dye to

seep in. Batik wax exercises an important function in the

process of batik printing. Proper usage of wax results into an

impeccable batik work. 30 per cent beeswax and 70 per cent

paraffin wax are generally applied. During application wax

should not be overheated or it will catch fire. The commonbatik fabrics that make for excellent batik prints are cambric,

poplin, voiles, and pure silk are used. Natural colors derived

from barks of trees, leaves, flowers and minerals were used.


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KALIGHAT PATACHITRA

After the first brush-stroke, the canvas assumes a life of its own; at thispoint, you become both governor and spectator to your own event. Indiahas inherited a pre-Aryan culture which is reflected in the folk art.Different religions, sects and beliefs have co-existed throughout Indiantraditional life. The rural society?s needs for art and craft objects aresupplied by the local artists and craftsmen which are mainly of three

types viz ritualistic, utilitarian and individualistic. Another local trend ofpainting prevalent throughout the late 18th and the whole of the 19thcentury centered around Calcutta's Kalighat temple, and is now wellknown as Kalighat Patachitra. This style originated after colonial rule haddestroyed the equilibrium of Bengal village life and after the village Patuasbegan losing their livelihood. The life of the English people and more

interestingly, the depiction of the life of the Calcutta Babus, became morepopular items. The Patuas reflected in their paintings the incoherence ofthe urban life with an extraordinary sense of humour. Kalighat Patachitrasderived definite inspirations from folk dolls and statuettes. They havebecome famous for the beauty of their undulated flowing lines, theirparticular technique of achieving modulation, and their amazing sense of

observation, simplification and proportion.


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Kalighat painting derives its name from its place of originKalighat, in

Kolkata - the erstwhile capital of British India. This painting form has its

roots in the cultural upheavals of nineteenth century colonial Bengal.

At this time a huge number of village folk had migrated from ruralBengal and settled in and around the famous Kalighat temple.

Amongst them, many were potters and scroll painters. These were the

people whose painting style and themes later came to be known as

Kalighat painting. They used watercolors and painted on inexpensive

mill papers.

The most interesting aspect of Kalighat painting is perhaps its strong

social themes and consciousness. Kalighat painting was the first of

its kind in the Indian subcontinent that expressed subaltern

sentiment and addressed customers directly. Like most other Indian

art forms, Kalighat paintings too started on with a religious note.Hindu deities, along with their incarnations, were painted by the

painters. Gradually, social sentiments came to be expressed in the

medium of paper and colors. The painters were keen observers of

life, with a grim sense of humour.


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There are different views regarding the character and influence on Kalighat

painting. While some opine that they were much influenced by the West,

others hold that local technique and social settings are entirely responsiblefor the Kalighat style. However, it is now acknowledged that Kalighat

painting is a legacy that unfolds our past a past that might have been lost

and forgotten, had it not been for these paintings of Kalighat. It is

interesting to note that for ages scholars and critics alike neglected this folk

painting. In India, the ancient Sanskrit texts largely served as the yardstick

for judging the merit of art forms. The written word was considered far

more important than pictorial expressions. Since they lacked the authority

of the sacred text, the rural and folk visual forms of the Kalighat Paintings

were considered inferior expressions, unworthy of any attention.

The wealthy zeminders (landowners) ravishing wine and women, foppish

babus spending their day and night at nasty places, a priest or Vaishnav

"Guru" living with unchaste women - these would not escape the searching

eyes of these artists. They had a moralizing intent and would draw the

caricatures in such a way as would repel ordinary people from suchactivities.


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CRAFT CLUSTER INITIATIVE

The Craft Cluster Initiative of the Institute is a carefully developed formula

for integrating the crafts sector of the country with the mainstream. NIFT,

with active support from the Ministry of Rural Development, Office of

Development Commissioner (Handicrafts & Handlooms) and National

Centre for Jute Development is developing and implementing a craft

cluster initiative towards the overall progress of craft, the cottage industry

and vocational activities. The intention of the project is to involve NIFTs

professional capabilities in the areas of design, technology, marketing and

management along with external expertise, and synergise all

developmental activities by various government and non-government

agencies.

craft reaseach & documentation

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