MODERNISATION OF INDIAN
CRAFT
By: Neelam Patel
ABSTRACT
The history of Indian handicrafts and textile goes back to
almost 5000 years from now. There are numerous examples of handicrafts from the
Indus Valley Civilization. The tradition of crafts in India has grown around
religious values, needs of the common people and also the needs of the ruling
elites. In addition to this foreign and domestic trade have also played an
important role in the evolution of different craft forms in India. The craft
traditions of India have withstood the depredation of time and several foreign
invasions and continue to flourish till date. It is mainly due to the open
mindedness of the Indian handicraftsmen to accept and incorporate new ideas.
Indian
handicraft and textile products are unique expressions of a particular culture
or community through local craftsmanship and materials. With increased
globalization, however, products are becoming more and more commoditized and
artisans find their products competing with goods from all over the world.
Though
Indian designers, NGOs as well as Indian institutes also giving their contribution
to uplift the situation of Indian crafts. Students are participating in
workshops with artisans and exchanging ideas with each other to contemporise
the products. Government and NGOs are giving the platform to the craftsmen
through the crafts fair to display the modern handicraft products.
DEFINING CRAFT
‘‘Crafts
can be defined as “those activities that deal with the conversion of specific
materials into products, using primarily hand skills with simple tools and
employing the local traditional wisdom of craft processes. Such activities
usually form the core economic activity of a community of people called
‘craftsmen’.” (Professor M.P. Ranjan )
A
craftsperson is one who is skilled in a craft technique and though he may
produce a number of similar objects, each one however expresses the maker’s
creativity. (Jasleen Dhamija-2003)
CURRENT STATE OF THE CRAFT INDUSTRY
Many crafts have evolved in modern times into
new products using the same craft practices and are finding new
expressions to suit contemporary needs.
There is a great variety of styles showing the
creative ability of the artisans to adapt to new markets needs. The
processes evolved from time immemorial have remained the same.
Today,
an argument, an attitude faces crafts and artisans in India. This is the
argument of economics, of sustainability, of marketability, which is the
argument of financial survival (Crafts Council of India- April 2011)
The
planners and policy makers of India have been addressing many problems and
concerns of this country. They are also addressing the need of the craftsmen
and their craftsmanship but probably the issue is so vast and complicated that
the issue has not been touched in complete form.( Gandhi National Centre for
the Arts- Under UNESCO’s Programme on Cultural Industries and Copyright
Policies and Partnerships)
FACTORS AFFECTING THE DYING OF CERTAIN CRAFT
TRADITIONS
Artisans
were traditionally an essential part of the village economy, producing everyday
utilitarian objects catered towards local markets, using designs and motifs
that were of significance to their communities. However, with the advent of
industrialization and increasing urbanization of markets for crafts, the
historical artisan-consumer relationship has broken down, and largely been
replaced by traders. This has rendered artisans' knowledge and skill, acquired
over generations, virtually useless and made crafts an unsustainable source of
livelihood. (Crafting a LivelihoodBuilding sustainability for Indian
Artisans-William Bissel, Managing Director, Fabindia )
DESIGNER’S CONTRIBUTION
Design
is currently considered a cross-functional and multidisciplinary innovation
activity, capable of making sense of social challenges while devising strategic
and holistic solutions to support competitiveness.
Design
innovations in India’s fashion products result from a fusion of modern
technologies and traditional craft skills. The design process in fashion begins
with research and observation. The uniqueness of a designer’s creation lies in
the interpretation of design sources. Sources of inspiration exist everywhere;
anything visual, tactile, indeed sensual, can lead to inspiration in design.
Designers
bridge the gap between the market and the artisan, as today the artisan is
geographically apart from his/her client, to be able to understand his/her
aesthetic and socio-cultural needs. Designers help in finding the relevance of
craft with respect to the artisan, the consumer and to the global market.
Designers are thus an interface, between the past and the present, the
traditional and the modern, trying to match craft production to the needs of
modern times and demands (Sethi, 2005) Designers should be trained not only to
solve problems, but what is more important they should be trained to help
others solve their own problems.
DESIGN INTERVENTION
Design
intervention is a process that involves designing new products; redesigning
existing products, with changes in shape, size, colour, surface manipulation,
function and utility; exploring new markets and reviving lapsed markets;
applying traditional skills to meet new opportunities and challenges; and the
introduction of new materials, new processes, new tools and technologies.
It
is seen as an interface between traditional and modernity, that matches craft
production to the needs of modern living. Design interventions have a very
important role in every step of the process in creation of the craft. They
should focus on the identity of a craft, its social and cultural relevance to
its region, and the processes and materials involved, to incorporate the
interventions in the right situations, with efficient expected outcomes and
reasoning’s.(Design Intervention and its execution in Crafts of India- Amrita
Panda)
REVIVAL OF DYING CRAFTS
We’re
living in a new golden era of good design, and collaboration between designers
& craftspeople is largely the reason to be thankful for. As consumers,
we’re more aware of materials now – not just their visual and sensual appeal,
but also where they come from, why they matter. We’re more curious about how
things are made and who made them (The Craft of Design- Joyce Lovelace-2013)
Collaborative innovation between designer and craftsperson is a means of
expanding the craft vocabulary and tapping contemporary markets. It is also
argued that a link between the apparently conflicting tenets of sustainability
can be achieved through responsible and strategic design innovation which
integrates the social, economic, ecological and cultural aspects. (Rebecca Reubens
2010) It has now been recognized that indigenous innovations are crucial for
any developing nation in order to achieve cumulative growth, both economically
and socially. These innovations, as they will be mostly in the form of
appropriate modifications in the existing products, will require further
critical interventions and hand-holding efforts for their transition into
markets. Design intervention can help bring in the much needed empathetic
understanding and holistic vision to connect and integrate the various efforts
towards a positive outcome. One would come across amazing indigenous
innovations in India that can be developed into marketable products and thereby
help in creating business success. These could provide vital directions for a
country like India, to transform into an innovation-driven economy. (Ascertaining
the Scope for Design Interventions for their Successful Commercialization- Ravi
Mokashi-Punekar, Shashank Mehta- 2011)
REFERENCES
·
The Craft Council of
India, A Report (2011) “Crafts Economics And Impact Study” [Online] Volume 1,
Stage 1 & Stage 2, April,
http://www.craftscouncilofindia.org/ceis_final_report.pdf [Accessed: 6 April
2013]
·
Frater Judy, “Kala
RakshaVidyalaya: A New Approach for Revival of Craft” [Online], VOICE, AsiaInCHEncyclopaediahttp://www.craftrevival.org/voiceDetails.asp?Code=14
[Accessed: 4 April 2013]
WEBSITES:
·
Craftmark: Handmade in
India, Design Intervention Case Study, Source: http://www.iicd.ac.in/?p=793
·
http://www.craftcanvas.com/blog/
·
http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/5865/modernisation-of-indian-textile-industry?page=1
·
http://www.craftscouncilofindia.org/about-us/
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