KOCHI: Over 30 artists from across the country will come together at the Handmade Collective, which will be held at David Hall at Fort Kochi December 7, to showcase their arts and crafts. Artists, engaged in arts and crafts which are slowly dying due to lack of patronage, will be showcasing upcycled wares, handlooms from Andhra to Benaras etc. The event is being organised by A Hundred Hands, an NGO launched to promoted handmade arts and crafts.
“We are delighted to be back in Kochi after a long gap,” says Mala Dhawan, co-founder, A Hundred Hands. “Our objective is not just to provide artists with an opportunity to promote their art but to encourage the traditional craftsmen to push their boundaries like creating new designs and going for a completely fresh take on traditional crafts,” she adds.A Hundred Hands has over 100 member artists out of which around 30 will be showcasing their work at David Hall café and gallery.
The Handmade Collective provides an opportunity for the artists to interact directly with the consumers in a ‘no commission’ environment. “A unique feature of A Hundred Hands is that we take no commission from either the consumers or the artists. So 100 per cent of the revenue from the sales goes directly back to the artist,” says Mala.
“It is extremely important to help our artists earn a more sustainable living from their craft and encourage them to showcase their work in an environment free of middlemen.”
On display at David Hall will be several dying traditional arts of India like Sanjhi Paper Cutting, Mughal Miniature painting and Pattacitra and Filigree work.
In an attempt to make handmade more relevant to the younger generation, traditional artists have been encouraged to add a contemporary style to traditional family crafts.“This event is a win-win for both our artists and the consumers who visit,” says Sonia Dhawan, the co-founder who also sells a range of popular balms and rubs under the brand Granny Gregs. “Consumers get to interact with the artists and take home unique products while the former get to take back 100 per cent of their sales proceeds.”