Indian traditional art and craft are age old practices by different craft-guilds all over India. Though they are the manifestation of cultural heritage of this country, gradual seclusion from the larger population and the craft-guilds will affect the cultural sustainability of the country. Initially many of the traditional painters were associated with social ceremony and used to paint on façade of village houses or on scrolls as part of a traditional gesture of the ceremony (Ranjan and Ranjan, 2007). Indian artist K. G. Subramanyan, a theoretician and educator, defines Indian art practice as an eclectic mixture of different traditional art forms (Subramanyan, 1978). He further says it is an interaction and amalgamation of different cultural …show more content…
As opposed to mass production, traditional craft practice creates a sustainable model of material usage and environment friendliness (Bhatt, 2007). Survival of a craft practice is mostly dependent on the economic rejuvenation of craft-guilds. Lucy Donkin says revived market can bring back artisans’ motivation to practice their occupation and refrain new generation to turn towards other occupation. This is leading to the damage of guild-system of the society of Indian artisans, which was an age-old tradition of our civilization (Coomaraswamy, 1909; Havell, 2007). Indian craft practice is intertwined with the social practices, rituals, festivals, tacit knowledge of a community and our cultural heritage (Donkin, 2001). P. Padmanabha, Registrar General of India said about Indian Census of ‘Handicraft Survey’, that the Census reveals the traditional Indian art and crafts could not be revitalized unless they were fulfilling the contemporary user needs and acknowledging contemporary technology and also tuned to social and cultural transformation (Padmanabha, 1978; Wood, 2011). For these economic crises and the loss of craft guilds our cultural heritage is dying. But, cultural merchandise which has heritage value attached to them has potentiality to add economic value subjected to proper conservation and awareness generation (Mourato & Mazzanti, 2002). But there are many counter arguments whether designer’s interference to diversify the traditional art and craft to address contemporary market need will destroy the essence of the tradition and technological intervention will dilute the core essence of the craft (Sethi, Duque, & Vencatachellum,
The region of the northwest coast was blessed with an abundance of natural recourses for human existence and made it possible for the area to thrive. As a result of this unusual abundance, the area could sustain large populations and a complex social order for many Indian groups. Because of the level of sustainability, the cultures had more time for artistic and intellectual activities and endeavors and over time, art became very important and vital to the complex social structures of the groups of the northwest coast.
Art originally in earlier cultures had a different purpose. Currently people create art for an aesthetic purpose for others to view in galleries, theaters, or museums creating distance for the audience. Initially art was created for purposes other than aesthetics, and people participated and interacted with the art and artist. This intertwined relationship between humans and art is especially seen in the Dineh and Wilbiri cultures. These two groups created drypaintings. People in both these groups directly interacted with the paintings instead of viewing them from a distance. Currently, there is a sense of distance instead of interaction. In these groups, humans participated directly with the artist and the art itself. In both these cultures, the people touched the drypaintings to evoke a response from the holy spirits. This physical interaction and participation with the dry paintings is termed contagion. The Dineh and the Walbiri both practiced contagion in different ways in order to evoke holy spirits because of similar religious beliefs, but their purpose for eliciting assistance from the Gods was different. Through contagion, both these cultures come into contact with the holy spirits.
“Art can use the power of visual image to challenge and even change popular opinions about important and universal issues. Art can be a very influential way to give a strong, direct comments and criticisms on things that have happened in society and culture.” (Rehab-Mol J, 1998, p6) Indigenous art is mostly about connecting to their land and their religious belief; however, art has different forms, especially the Indigenous contemporary art as it uses ‘modern materials in a mixed cultural context’. (Aboriginal Art Online, 2000)
Technology has steadily evolved to develop more innovative and productive techniques in the making of various crafts. In addition to enhancing the quality of products, the ability to create them at a higher rate has been discovered. However, quality and quantity are usually inversely proportional to each other. In more recent times consumers have begun to desire Japanese artifacts. Most producers attempt to sate this desire through mass production. While this alternative may be inexpensive, it lacks the high quality that true artisans can deliver. In these cases, consumers are also at fault as they let their desire for instant gratification outweigh their desire for superior creations. Largely, in the production of crafts, producers sacrifice optimal quality for a high output in order to fill the demand for inexpensive products by the consumer.
been a heightened interest in all Indian things, such as in their art. Expression in the art
The introduction of of European materials, tools, and techniques transformed Native American art aesthetically as well as it’s role within Native culture. European technology produced goods that made Native American art easier to create and allowed Native American art to become more elaborate and detailed. However, the distinctive styles of each unique tribes’ art was diluted as the tribes obtained the same European materials rather than what was native to the land they lived on. in many cases European encounter caused Native American artwork to become less culturally significant; For instance, many crafts that held religious ceremonial roles, or served spiritual symbolism, became available to anyone, as a greater emphasis on its economic
Is craft art? This question, a hot topic of debate amongst artists, art critics and craftspeople of the twentieth century, seems to have been born of the many complex societal changes that took place over the course of the Modern Era. logically, it would only be possible to effectively deliberate over this discussion by first defining art itself. This, however, proves to be just as difficult a task as settling the art-craft controversy in the first place and together, these quarrels revolve in a seemingly endless dance of passionate indignation. Fortunately, it does seem possible to comprehensively define craft. Brazilian art and design historian, Rafael Cardoso,
Secondly, the art of India fascinated me a lot especially the 13th Century art of “S...
Perterson, L.K., & Cullen, Cheryl. 2000. “Hindu symbolism and colour meanings dominate Indian culture and society,” in Global Graphics: Gloucester, Massachusetts:Rockpoint Publishers, pp.175-176.
The Arts and Crafts movement occurred during the late 19th century and early 20th century. Its aim was “to bring artists and craftsmen together.” The movement developed from the fear that art was being lost to the up and coming manufacturing field (“The Bauhaus”). However, Gropius knew manufacturing would be a big part of the future and promoted art that could be mass-produced by factories. In 1923, the school’s slogan be...
...des us with a glimpse into the ancient culture using beautiful and detailed designs. The art form has been sustained in fired clay for thousands of years indiscriminately telling its story to the world and to history.
Many of our people in our society throughout the years, have been buying different types of products and commodities from craft workers that are very personally close with one another and also from smal...
Sri Nandanandana, “Preaching in India’s Northeast For Cultural Preservation” VaiShnava News February 21, 2003; Retrieved information Dec. 9,2003 http://www.vnn.org/world/WD0302/WD21-7837.html
Another example equally as potent and yet sadly overlooked by many particularly those outside India is that of Kathak. A classical Indian dance, today held in great esteem among the 6 great classical dances of India, 21st century Kathak combines incredibly complex technique and elegant, slow abhinaya (or story telling) and owes almost the entirety of its current day form to the Mughals. The transformation that Kathak underwent from its original form to how we see it today that occurred during Mughal Era is perhaps the most underestimated and truest remaining symbol of the vibrant Indo-Islamic cultural melding that occurred under the patronage of the Mughals, and to...
...crafts can also play important role in developing new market for many tourists it reminds them of the places that they have visited and a symbolic reflect of a particular culture.