In the rush of modernisation and westernisation, the nation is gradually losing the heritage that has furnished it for centuries. Fancy western products are catching the eyes of art lovers and overshadowing the priceless indigenous art forms. The nation needs to bring life to the dying imprints of the indigenous art forms and enable the artists to survive on the occupation they were born to practice. A blend of diverse cultures and art forms practised in different communities in India indeed makes it one of the most vibrant and colourful nations in the world. Be it embroidery, painting, wood carving, stone carving, sculpturing, India has traditionally been a heritage of craft and art forms and immensely creative and talented artists. The classic art of such artists is not meant to remain confined behind walls. The world needs to be a beholder of the mesmerising beauty these art forms produce.
An initiative by a trio from Delhi is building one such bridge between the traditional and indigenous art forms and the modern products in use. It functions as a community of regional artists who practice their art forms on modern products. Products like sarees, dupattas, mirrors, lamps, diaries, cushion covers, files, folders, etc are provided to the tribal artists to be redesigned with their traditional art designs. When these contemporary products come about with Gond and Bhil art designs, they become magical in the eyes of the art lovers. Started by three socially inclined and traditional art loving women, Tanushree Patwa, Palak Bhandari and Shweta Ojha, ‘Setu India’ conducts exhibitions and workshops around the entire country to promote the taste of traditional art forms among the local crowd and also to give a platform to the regional artists for their skill development.
Setu India has earlier conducted workshops in Madhya Pradesh Tribal Museum in Bhopal in collaboration with the State Cultural Ministry and in Basant Bazar in Delhi. The eight day workshop in Bhopal was attended by the local public in huge numbers (with a footfall of around 600 people on the first day) in which local people had come to learn different tribal art forms like Gond and Bhil paintings, block printing, etc from renowned artists like Bhuri Bai of M.P and Mohammed Bilal Khatri of Bagh, Madhya Pradesh. Setu India works with 40 such artists of M.P., Chattisgarh and U.P. and enables them to take their art form to larger scale in the country.
“There is nothing more joyful than the fact that I am able to spread a taste for my art form in the entire country and abroad. I feel immensely happy and proud when people come in huge numbers to learn the art of Gond and Bhil paintings in these workshops”, mentions Bhuri Bai, a renowned Gond and Bhil Artist of Madhya Pradesh.
We have specially curated some workshops and exhibitions in the past with some of the best artists of the country. We have a professional team of curators and organisers. The next one in Delhi is being organised in collaboration with Hobbmob.
The upcoming event of Setu India is in collaboration with the Textile Department of India, which is being conducted at Crafts Museum in New Delhi from 26th June to 1st July 2017. We have also collaborated with Hobbmob, a hobby marketplace that breaks creative boundaries and are looking to spread art in the form of events and workshops.
The event will comprise of a series of interesting workshops conducted by renowned artists like Neetu Yadav, Bhuri Bai and Bilal Khatri.
Neetu Yadav is a renowned artist under the group – THE ARTISANS OF BHOPAL FOR SKILL DEVELOPMENT / TRAINING PROGRAMME ORGANIZED BY
NATIONAL CENTRE FOR DESIGN & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT. NEW DELHI
Mohammed Bilal Khatri was felicitated with UNESCO Award of Excellence for Handicrafts – 2016. Khatri bagged the award for his unique Bagh printed stoles.
Bhuri bai is an internationally recognized practitioner of the Bhil folk art form, native to Madhya Pradesh in Central India. Bhuri Bai works as an artist in Lok Kala Academy in Bhopal. She is the recipient of the highest award ‘Shikhar Samman ( 1986-1987) from the Governor of Madhya Pradesh in 1998. Her art work has been displayed in the most renowned art galleries in the world.
If you are looking forward to an enriching experience trying your hands at some traditional art forms and listening to the wonderful historical background behind those, register yourselves for the event at any of the four numbers mentioned below and experience the richness of these Indian traditional art forms like never before!
