Hands that help a few hundred

BANGALORE: Handmade Collective, an exhibition organised for the second time in the city by A Hundred Hands, brought together a collection of products made by artists and craftsmen from different parts of the country. This exhibition-cum-sale included Gond painting, Mughal handblock printing, Sanjhi paper cutting, mud painting, painted pots and hand embroidery to name a few in addition to the crafts and arts that were exhibited last year. Speaking about the formation of A Hundred Hands, Mala Dhawan, a trustee said, “Five years ago, we collaborated with many other groups across the country. So, this is an endeavour to revive the art and also to make people aware of the peculiar art work.”When asked about the art and artists, she said that though there were exhibitions held very often to encourage artists and craftsmen, the exhibitions did not directly involve them. She further added, “Many a time, hand-made products are taken for granted. Beauty lies in the imperfection and variety. It is important for us to be sensitive to the art and truly appreciate it.”Aditi Babel, a book artist, who completed a course on book art in Italy, said that one must have an understanding about the paper material, form and size of the book. She said, “Book itself is a piece of art. The book art breaks the linear format of thoughts about the book. We experiment with the structure of book. According to me, book is a living being. We grow old with books.”Explaining about Sanjhi paper cuttings, the artiste Ram Soni hailing from Rajasthan said that the art demands an immense amount of patience and dedication. Ram, who has exhibited his work in America, London, Korea, Bhutan, Argentina and other countries said that every Sanjhi paper cutting conveys a story. He added,”Hindu mythological stories and architecture of ancient temples are portrayed through these cuttings.” He spends seven to eight hours a day carving papers and has brought out some of the examples of Moghul architecture on paper.Jaipur-based miniature painting artist Mohan Kumar Prajapathi brought some deceivingly simple yet intricate paintings for Bangaloreans. He said, “I use natural stone colours and my creativity is exposed by giving contemporary look to my paintings. I bring out beauty of the nature in my one-hair-brush which gives a realistic effect to the paintings.” Most artists and craftsmen were delighted to exhibit their work in Bangalore for they say that the city responds to good work of art.