Fusing tradition with modernity

Bringing the traditional Bengali crafts under one roof Nandita Palchoudhuri curated an exhibition with the best artisans from the east. From artists creating delicate flowers masks of deities using Sholapith to a more advanced version of it framed as a wall art. This exhibition is a perfect balance of traditional and contemporary under one roof.  

Talking about his art, artist Madhumangal Malakar working with Sholapith for over 4 years says, “My work is completely based on the ritualistic use of Shola and not for fine art. These items are used for worship, whereas these masks are used for Annaprashana, some are used during wedding ceremonies and also displayed at new homes. This craft has been passed down through the generations and I’m the sixth generation practicing this.” Sholapith comes from a seaweed which is dried and the bark is shaved off, leaving them with a white cork like material which the craftsmen carve into fine sheets and fold them to create delicate crafts. While Madhumangal only deals with traditional Sholapith work, another artist uses the same material to create intricate wall art. Talking about encouraging craftsman to upgrade their skill, Nandita says, “I have to find a way to highlight their skill. So from one flower, he can make 25 to 50 bucks maximum, but if it becomes a wall art someone can buy it for 10,000 rupees. So the skill is becoming something he can earn from.”   

Mahamaya Sikdar

Another Bengali staple, especially during the winter season, is the humble blanket. Although the traditional ones are made at home using old sarees and the iconic kantha stitch, Mahamaya Sikdar from Running Stitch is trying to add some art to the basic. “We basically make traditional kantha (blanket) but are also trying to add some contemporary patterns. Everything is made by running stitch and for a designer look, we add French knots,” she says. Talking about the sentimental value behind kantha, Mahamaya says, “In earlier days, people would make Kantha for their loved ones, it happened across generations, our grandmother would give us Kanthas. But to keep the art alive, we need to sell and earn money.” Some of her intricate pieces take up to a couple of years to complete.

Another interesting display was from Sienna, which has gone from ceramics to textile as well as accessories. Giving a little more details about the products Shuli Ghosh says, “For the textiles, we mostly use fabrics associated with Bengal, things that are made there in the handloom. We also started printing in our own workshop in Shantiniketan. We do block prints and tie-dry but we’re trying to give it a contemporary look to appeal to the masses. We also give different silhouettes and cuts to it to make them more modern.” A very sustainable approach to designing, Shuli uses the scrap fabric to make accessories out of them. “Jewellery is all from recycled materials. We have textile jewelleries, which is basically made from scrap fabric. We don’t like to waste so upcycling is our thing. We combine a few metals such as dokra, which is used for most traditional kind of jewelleries, but we try to make it into more modern shapes. We use copper as well to make earring or bracelet and sometimes also combine it with ceramic.” The combination of metal with fabric gives the jewelleries a very semi-traditional look.

A lot of fusion work is also on display at the exhibition as you could see baby wear clothes made out of a combination of Muslin and traditional Jamdani fabric. Whereas on the other hand, 145 East Brand is creating contemporary clothing out of scrapes of Gamcha, a kind of towel, and combining them with elements of saree.