Worshipping clay before giving forms in the hands of potters from Tamil Nadu

Workshop

Tribal Art Workshop 

It was a Sangam of India’s rich cultural heritage.  Folk and tribal communities from all over India came together at the IGNCA for a fortnight-long workshop.  some 30 groups of artists demonstrated their art in wood, iron, textile, painting, bell metal, beads and mud.  Their creations were displayed in an exhibition.  Most of these were acquired by the IGNCA for its archival and exhibition collections and also to enrich the cultural landscape of the Centre to reflect and complement its activities.

Potters, painters working on various media, wood work artists, iron, brass and bell metal craftsmen, tattoo makers and idol casters from Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Orissa, Maharashtra and Bihar worked on their creations side by side.  The interaction between them too enhanced their art.  For the artists the art was an inheritance and not a chosen profession.  Therefore, an essential atmosphere of non-commerce existed.

The variety in metal work was amazing.  There were at least three different methods being used to create metal ware.  The artists from Bastar made the original structure in clay and put wax mould on it.  Then in a cauldron of molten metal, (bell metal) this was dipped.  The wax melted and the metal filled the space.

In another method, the basic structure was made of mud.  Wax strings were would on it.   On top of this another coat of mud was applied.  Between the three layers there was a hole.  This structure was dried well in the sun.  Through the hole, molten brass was poured.  When it cooled down, the mud was peeled off.  Thus, each piece was created anew and not cast in the mould.

In the third method, images were made from metal sheets.  Similarly, in terracotta, the potters from Tamil Nadu made hollow images and fired them rendering them strong.  Even a huge horse weighed nothing.

The potters from Bastar made clay tablets with reliefs on them while the ones from West Bengal made images in solid red clay.

The IGNCA has done extensive documenting of the workshop.