2008
A dying art
As an artist who paints on usable surfaces I always consider myself and artisan. Why? What I do is a craft, is that not what we call all craftsmen in our country? True, I am not of that strata but truth be told that’s what I am. I write this as an artisan, not an artist.
Some time ago, i took my goods to some stores asking for them to be stocked. Some were shocked when I said I made it by hand, others not so much. One other remarked ‘there is no value for handmade things in the market anymore.’ What? A few days later, similar responses.
I am appalled at how we treat crafts that have been handed down for generations. A friend of mine works to revive textile crafts in India. In a modern context… yes? Things evolve right? Mindsets change too. That is understandable. But as consumers we don’t seem to embrace our heritage, a rather fascinating one that too.
Artisans are losing out to the industrial mass produced goods in the market. I was told by a supposedly wise man on a public forum that I should go in for mass production and get numbers. I’m not trying to portray myself as an exclusivist here But truth be told I am happy and proud of what I do. What might help change this urban notion is the appreciation of crafts, its documentation and its availability.