Hello everyone out there!!
Here I am Tanuja Tambwekar, a design student in the very first year of my graduation in a communications class, writing a blog for the first time ever!! Yes. This is the kind of life we design students lead. Too many things from too many corners all on our color palate. Anyway, so let me begin from the beginning.
I am .................. and we were briefed about the assignment which was "pick an art or craft form and research on the same and while you are at it, create a blog and start posting your research too". Well, it all started as a classroom assignment but the feel of it tells me that this blogging bit is going to be really interesting. Honestly, I am already enjoying it.
When we were briefed about the assignment, I centered on CRAFT forms as i personally am more interested in craft than art, so I think this will be super fun and i hope mine and your interest is intact till the very end. So,the craft forms which I zeroed down were Lacquer craft of Rajasthan, Glass craft of Madhya Pradesh and Firozabad, Dhokra metalwork from Odisha. So these were my Indian likings in craft as our country is full of beautiful crafts everywhere.
I am amazed at how these skilled individuals, sitting in small dingy rooms in a place called Firozabad (hardly visible on India's map too) work magic and create glass bangles. Indian women love to flaunt their bangles and it is mostly more the merrier. But isn't it ironic that the bangles that adorn happy colourful lives are molded in dark, sad corners by nameless faces and wrinkled hands.
Next on my list was lacquer craft, more commonly known as lac, from Rajasthan, again another set of skilled people working in harsh and hot conditions from the city of sand dunes. These are people all that lac jewellery which we wear is what they make. And the third choice was Dhokra metal work from Odisha which again takes a lot hard labour and time from the workers.
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Glass bangles from Firozabad
source-google images
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from Rajasthan
source-google images
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Dhokra metal pen holder from Odisha
source-google images |
However, even while my heart went out for all these crafts, my head advised otherwise. I was not to forget that this is a class assignment and I need more research data than emotional rant. Sad as it may sound, I could not find enough material on either of these two crafts and decided to look for something meatier. However, even though they dont form a part of my assignment anymore, I know whenever I see a glass bangle adorning a pretty hand, I would forever be reminded of those unsung heroes.
So, at the I decided on one topic and that was Persian metalwork and go ahead with it.
To enjoy more about my journey and progress in my assignment, stay tuned to my blog!
Until then keep smiling and take care :)
