RESEARCH
PHASE 01
SWATI KALSI
BENGALURU
CONTRIBUTORS
MR. ASHOKE CHATTERJEE
DR. RITU SETHI, CHAIR. CRAFT REVIVAL TRUST
MS. ROOPA MEHTA, CEO SASHA, W BENGAL
DR. SUDHA DHINGRA, DEAN, NIFT (DELHI)
DR. SASS BROWN,KINGSTON UNIVERSITY UK
DR. BANHI JHA,EX.ACADEMIC DEAN, NIFT(DL)
MR. SANJAY GARG, RAW MANGO
MR. RAJESH PRATAP SINGH
MR. SANDEEP DHINGRA, CTO, TECH. MENTOR
MINISTRY OF TEXTILES, GOVT. OF INDIA
MS. DEVIKA KRISHNAN,
GOOD EARTH HERITAGE FOUNDATION
MS. RITIKA GANDHI, TARASHA, TITAN
SOMAIYA KALA VIDYA, KUTCH
WEAVER SERVICE CENTRE, SRINAGAR
WEAVER SERVICE CENTRE, AHMEDABAD
WEAVER SERVICE CENTRE, VARANASI
WEAVER SERVICE CENTRE, GUWAHATI
WEAVER SERVICE CENTRE, KANNUR
DR. SURUCHI MITTAR, INVEST INDIA, GOI
SASHA ASSOC. FOR CRAFT PRODUCERS
SARBA SHANTI AAYOG, WEST BENGAL
SOMAIYA KALA VIDYA, KACHCHH
KHAMIR, KACHCHH
15 DESIGNERS AND DESIGN BUSINESSES
3 ARTISAN DESIGNERS
18 ARTISAN LEADERS FROM ACROSS INDIA
140 ARTISANS FROM ACROSS INDIA
60 INDIAN AND INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS
How do crafts prosper in a time where technological progress and mechanisation of handicrafts renders handiwork precarious? And how do artisans adapt? These are questions that have plagued the handicrafts industry, with artisans who work across regionally produced technical craftsmanship. In the context of India, we casually encounter proto-historic living traditions that are being adapted to the age of technological dilution. Post-liberalisation in the 90s, the textile and handloom industries in specific have been seen to stagnate given the dilution of their craft, made available cheaply to consumers, besides the lack of professional security or mobility. Textile designer Swati Kalsi traces the flows of production, engagement and dissemination in the complex environment of Indian handicrafts, where stakeholders are multiple but only have individual access to artisans, rather than a centralised or integrated channel. She conducts interviews with a wide range of stakeholders in the conversation, including a variety of artisans, their group leaders, NGOs working with artisans, designers, corporate CSRs, students, academia, businesses, and other professionals in the field. -Sukanya Deb
SOUNDSCAPES
SWATI KALSI
STUDY 01
3 MINS 27 SECS
2024
ARTISAN LEADERS
AND ARTISANS
ANITA DEVI, ARTISAN, BIHAR
AMITAVA BHASAK, BUSINESS OWNER, WB
ARUN KHATUA, SOCIETY HEAD, WB
LATA, ARTISAN, WSC, GUWAHATI
APRAJITA, ARTISAN, WSC GUWAHATI
TARIQ, BUSINESS OWNER, J&K
MOHAMMAD ARIF, BUSINESS OWNER, J&K
ASEEMA, ARTISAN, JAMMU AND KASHMIR
SBAHINA, ARTISAN, JAMMU AND KASHMIR
RAJ GOPAL, BUSINESS OWNER, WARANGAL
SACHDA, ARTISAN, WSC KANNUR
P. SIJU, BUSINESS OWNER, KUTCH
MYBBASSIRAH, ARTISAN DESIGNER, KUTCH
SHAUDDIN ANSARI, ARTISAN, WSC , UP
SHANTI MONDAL, ARTISAN MANAGER, WB
STUDY 02
5 MINS 27 SECS
2024
THOUGHT LEADERS
RITU SETHI, CRAFT REVIVAL TRUST
RAJESH PRATAP SINGH
ROOPA MEHTA, CEO SASHA
SUDHA DHINGRA, DEAN NIFT (DELHI)
SASS BROWN, KINGSTON UNIVERSITY, UK
BANHI JHA, EX. ACD. DEAN NIFT (DELHI)
SANJAY GARG, FOUNDER RAW MANGO
SURUCHI MITTAR, VP BS, INVEST INDIA
SANDEEP DHINGRA, CTO, TECH MENTOR
D. KRISHNAN, GOOD EARTH HERITAGE FDN.
RITIKA GANDHI, HEAD TARASHA, TITAN
STUDY 03
4 MINS 24 SECS
2024
FIELD LEADERS
ARPITA, ANWESHA, ORISSA
P. KR. GUPTA, ASST.DIR.WSC GUJARAT
S. KR. GUPTA, DP.DIR. WSC VARANASI
N. SANGOMLA, SOMAIYA KALA VIDYA
LIPIKA, TEXTIEL FACTORIJ, AMSTERDAM
PARESH MANGALIA, DP. DIR., KHAMIR
T. A. HAKIM, ASST.DIR. WSC SRINAGAR
SIMRAN SAWANT, STUDENT, CHENNAI
AAKANKSHA RAO, STUDENT, BLR.
VEDASHREE VODNALA, STUDENT, HYD.
J. THAKURIA, TS WV., WSC GUWAHATI
S.T.SUBRAMANIAN,DYDIR.WSC KANNUR
STUDY 01
I am Swati Kalsi, a Textile and Clothing Designer based in India. I have been working as a designer for more than 20 years. Over the years, I have been noted to have brought contemporary Relevance to the time honored Handcrafted textiles of artisans, in India, thereby pushing to create a basis for their livelihoods. A wide experience of working with traditional crafts and craftsmen; community building through design-intervention while working with businesses, design led national and international organizations/NGOs informs and shapes my design practice.
Drawing from my experience thus far, I pursued the research to be able to device a feasible, self sustaining, symbiotic model that can enable global design and technology exposure of artisans, that can eventually be translated into a state-of-the-art digital tool/ application to achieve scale. This can generate livelihoods, and create an ecosystem for artisan’s economic and social growth.
To be able to think future, it seemed important to start with a fuller understanding of the present, in the context. Thus, interactions with artisan groups, thought leaders, the government, designers/design businesses, Organizations/NGOs, Institutions and students from India and abroad were organized for Research Phase 01. The new vantage point has strengthened the foundation and will help in shaping the research in the future. The research findings although present an enormous flux, calling for many rounds of such interactions.
In the process inputs were gathered over countless appointments, conversations, meetings, online forms etc.. They were sorted, analyzed, and arranged to present important concerns of diverse entities from India and abroad, from across the craft spectrum. Video calls with artisan groups were special. They highlighted the deep reach and quick adaptability of technology in rural India.
STUDY 01 - Voices out concerns of artisans and artisan leaders from across India.
STUDY 02 – Brings forth views and ideas of thought leaders from within the realm of crafts.
STUDY 03 – Shares thoughts of field/on ground experts including organizations, NGOs and Students.
'Research Phase 1' was supported by State of Fashion Biennale - Ties that Bind 2024 (Netherlands).
