Meeting the Makers of West Bengal at the designjunction Showspace
For London Design Week 2015 – the top design event of its kind – Biswa Bangla desired a pertinent showspace that could not only exhibit a tangible body of handlooms and handicrafts, but that could also showcase the artisans through live demonstrations of the intricate process behind each design. Thus, as a self-proclaimed ‘platform for commercial and cultural design,’ designjunction – a key ‘design destination’ of the festival – proved to be the perfect showspace.
What Biswa Bangla does, how they promote West Bengal, these fantastic products and crafts . . . we just felt it was going to be amazing in our show. We knew that the designers would really connect with it. People are going to understand the heritage and beauty. That’s what Biswa Bangla does.” – Donna Tzelepis, Partnerships, designjunction
A Passion for Preserving
Likening their displays to “windows into the world of Bengal,” Biswa Bangla exposes its audience to the region’s rich heritage in order to support and promote its makers on an international platform. At designjunction, Neishaa Gharat sought to use the showspace as a means to draw worldwide attention to the heritage, history, and stories of West Bengal’s crafts and craftspeople.
The Making Of
To contextualise the crafts and acquaint the public with their creators, the space at designjunction featured interactive demonstrations of shola mask-making, kantha embroidery, muslin weaving, and patachitra. This creative approach was also accompanied by a video installation documenting the making of baloposh (read more about these Biswa Bangla-supported crafts below*).
I am passionate about getting people interested in the makers and the process, not just the object. I want to give people the opportunity to engage with the tradition, the stories, the materials and function.” – Neishaa Gharat
‘A Desire to Learn’
Though exceptionally focused on reviving the craft sector of West Bengal and supporting its artisans and ancient processes, the team does not seek sympathy; they prefer, rather, desire – ‘a desire to learn more about these arts and a desire to make a place for them in their lives so that it can be passed down for generations.’ And, crowned ‘the most ambitious, challenging and successful edition to date,’ designjunction2015 undeniably ignited this desire within its international audience of designers and design enthusiasts alike.
*Living Creations
At designjunction, each object conveyed a unique story about both its rich and deeply rooted history and its contemporary crafting.
Textiles
Baloposh: “Soft like wool, warm like a lap, and gentle like a flower,” these scented and silky quilts emerged in West Bengal in the 18th century. Exquisitely crafted and composed of three parts – one layer of cotton wool between two pieces of silk – the baloposh is a unique creation, as it is held together only by stitches at its colourful and ornamental edges. Today, the craft sees only one practitioner, Atir Khan, whose grandson, Sekhawat Hussain Khan, vows to carry forward the legacy. See the film installation by Neishaa Gharat and Vineett Vohra here.
Indo-Portuguese Quilts and Shawls: Adorned with Portuguese-inspired motifs, these quilts and shawls symbolise sophistication, boasting a history of royal patronage and upper-class clientele. Initially comprised of cotton, they have since been created from tussar, a golden silk, and are cherished for their embroidery. A nearly lost heritage, Biswa Bangla aims to revive the waning art form.
Jamdani: Vibrant in colour and regarded as the ‘finest muslin,’ jamdani has a long history of trade and export. A time-consuming form of handloom weaving, it is truly a labour of love – the creative process can take over one year to complete.
Kantha: A beautiful form of embroidery, kantha comprises an indigenous cottage industry of Bengal. Characterised by a design that is both decorative and utilitarian, kantha emphasises thrift, as embroiderers utilise old fragments of cloth to create a new – and meticulously stitched – work of art. Following this approach, Biswa Bangla aims to repurpose the craft, exploring new possibilities and techniques for revival.
Muslin: Exported to Rome under the name “woven air,” muslin historically represents royalty and has evolved to symbolise quality. A nearly-extinct market due to the rise of machine-made goods, Biswa Bangla strives to revive handmade muslin with Project Muslin, an initiative that aims to support and elevate the industry’s artisans.
Crafts
Masks: Masks, or mukhosh, are historically rooted in the religion, folk heritage, and everyday décor of West Bengal. Carved from myriad materials, including bamboo, wood, clay, and paper and painted with a range of colours, each mask varies in technique and plays a key role in the region’s cultural heritage.
Art
Patachitra: Patachitra is an aesthetic form of storytelling. Artists paint motifs – ranging from typical religious themes to satirical imagery – on fabric or cloth. Biswa Bangla works to adapt this craft to the modern lifestyle, and Neishaa Gharat is promoting the art form through her collection of silk scarves.