Clay in Design and Space
RAJEEV SETHI
The traditional potter, a prajapati, is no longer a progenitor. Nor is the chak pooja, praying on the wheel, to mark an auspicious beginning. The resilient dwellers of this threatened occupation have to turn to alternate modes of livelihood. The potters of Bishnupur survive by making souvenir ash trays. Will new platforms like the Indian Ceramics Triennale become an inclusive and tenacious renaissance reaching out to the regions or to places where a large number of stake-holders live? In this paper, Rajeev Sethi traces the history of ceramics in India starting from the turn of the century and the arts and crafts movement.
While the movement started in England, the colonists desired to negotiate the ‘other’ through conscientious pedagogy.
Hierarchies, however, were difficult to define in the Indian context and the arts and crafts were clubbed together in all colleges. New designs were important and the institutions created a fertile ground for experimentation and innovation. Disciplines such as architecture and engineering worked in close proximity to the schools of arts and crafts and generated unplanned synergies. Crafts weren’t a mere collectable or an ornament but integral to the architectural structure. The scene shifts post independence, the next generation becomes a product of a divide- art/craft, hi/low, urban/rural, traditional/modern, east/west, village artisans/studio potter.
Building codes change and new materials such as cement and steel take over, leaving traditional materials such as stone, wood, clay or terracotta behind. The 1972 Ministry of Works and Housing Memorandum Code requires every public building to spend 2% of their budget on the inclusion of arts and crafts. However, this rule has never been enforced, resulting in millions of artisans losing their livelihood in a changing world. Besides critical affirmative action, other aspects needed to elevate the traditional crafts are mapping and documenting the varied clay-making technologies, packaging, as well as the marketing of the wares. In order to create awareness about the rich arts and crafts of India, it is necessary to introduce craft in school curriculums. Without appreciation and pehchan (recognition) there is no growth for the young – the future of creative economies will depend on the creation of original content. Rajeev outlines his amazing personal journey in the craft/art world since his youth as a designer, curator and scenographer. For over thirty-five years, through his work in design, architecture, performances, festivals, exhibitions, publications, and policy, he has identified ways to bring contemporary relevance to the traditional skills of vulnerable artisan communities and creative professionals. No seed is shy of germination, nor does any fruit remain on a tree when ripe. And when it falls it does not rot if the clay is fertile.
We shall not cease from exploration,
And the end of all our exploring
Will be to arrive where we started
And know the place for the first time- T S Eliot
Designer Rajeev Sethi is noted internationally for his contribution to preserving and celebrating the subcontinent’s rich cultural heritage. He has lectured and presented in universities and forums around the world, including Princeton, Harvard, and the IITs. He has been honoured with the Padma Bhushan by the President of India and the Order of Merit by the Federal Republic of Germany.
