Gandhi, reimagined

  • | Saturday | 29th February, 2020

This ongoing exhibition in Bengaluru has artworks by 40 artisans interpreting the Mahatma through various arts and crafts of the country. Pics: Meghana SastryPresented by Dastkari Haat Samiti, in honour of the 150th anniversary of Gandhi, the exhibition displays works by artisans from different states of India, including Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi and Orissa. For example, Orissa’s Hare Krushna Nayak, who said it took him two-and-a-half months to make his rice paddy model of Gandhi. For Sneh Gangal, Gandhi stands for the epitome of simplicity, a figure who stays relevant even today. Which is why this Rajasthani artist’s work add a touch of contemporary flavour to her interpretation of Gandhi, where one even showcases how despite rioters and unrest, Gandhi continued to remain calm.

By Express News Service BENGALURU: An almost 5-feet tall Gandhi made of rice paddy, a miniature glass model of him with his charkha, a portrait of him within the map of India in the style of Gond art, a minimalistic paper cutout of his silhouette, Shibori and Bandini recreations, miniature clay busts, wire models, rugs with his portrait... This ongoing exhibition in Bengaluru has artworks by 40 artisans interpreting the Mahatma through various arts and crafts of the country. Pics: Meghana Sastry Presented by Dastkari Haat Samiti, in honour of the 150th anniversary of Gandhi, the exhibition displays works by artisans from different states of India, including Jammu and Kashmir, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Delhi and Orissa. “These works can never be replaced. If we lose this sort of tradition, we lose the cultural soul of India. And whether the craftspeople realise it or not, their economic life today is because of the emphasis Gandhi laid on it, with his talks of khadi, spinning and promotion of handmade crafts,” said Jaya Jaitly, president, Dastkari Haat Samiti. Agrees K Radharaman, founder, CEO and principal designer at The House of Angadi, who has sponsored the event. Radharaman said, “Gandhi’s message is relevant even today. And interpreting this through the medium of craft just adds more meaning.” This unique and subjective interpretation can easily be noticed in the works of the artists, who have all have spent hours, days and months on their handiwork. For example, Orissa’s Hare Krushna Nayak, who said it took him two-and-a-half months to make his rice paddy model of Gandhi. Naushad Ali, on the other hand, took a month to make a cotton and wool Durry woven carpet with the Mahatma’s portrait. “Once we finalise the image we want woven on to the carpet, we have to convert them on to pixels to see how much thread each inch would require,” he explained. For Sneh Gangal, Gandhi stands for the epitome of simplicity, a figure who stays relevant even today. Which is why this Rajasthani artist’s work add a touch of contemporary flavour to her interpretation of Gandhi, where one even showcases how despite rioters and unrest, Gandhi continued to remain calm. Such modern interpretations were also seen in works of other artisans, who often played with the idea of the map of the country and Gandhi’s job in unifying it. “My work shows the silhouettes of the map and him but also looks at all the different mountains, rivers and geographical features he came across on his journey through India,” said Suresh Kumar Dhurve, a Gond artist from Madhya Pradesh. Saqib Beigh, an artisan from Jammu and Kashmir, was also present at the event. The 29-year-old told CE that he has a formal Commerce degree but chose to give up a lucrative career to join his family’s handweaving business instead. “Many youths today are hesitant to do this. They much rather join a call centre and get a steady income instead. We need the government to give the right push to promote these crafts, right from school level,” he said. The exhibition is on till March 5

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