Paper machie was invented in China in about 105 A.D . Papier Mache is a French word meaning ‘Mashed paper’. It is a delicate decorative art which shows the artistic zeal of craftsmen in Kashmir. This tradition in Kashmir has its origin rooted in the 15th century when King Zain-ul-Abidin invited accomplished artists from Central Asia. The art was highly favoured by Mughal Emperors of 15th and 16th Century. About that time the art of handmade paper received a revolutionary fillip and provided a new material for the craftsmen. Before that, wood workers and painters made colourful patterns mainly on wood, in making ceiling panels, doors, bedsteads, palanquins etc.
The ingenious Papier Mache artisans of Kashmir transform a variety of utility articles into rare art pieces. These skills are passed down from generation to generation, son taking the place of his father and father taking place of his father this art has been handed down from family to family. Kashmiri craftsman have tried to maintain the culture of Papier Mache and to this day it is still being made by hand in these small home shops where families gather together and work on it and bring these beautiful creations to the world.
This project is centered around finding ways of repositioning traditional crafts in the menacing scenario of cradle to grave industrial economy. Questioning the current design practices and the implication of the industrial economy; inspiration was derived from the still nascent concept of circular economy and sustainable design philosophy, in turn questioning the process of making a product. The inspirational story of Magno which combines fine eco-design and craft, served as a reference point for a new way to envision the handicrafts sector in India. Studying the artisans, the craft value chain and the challenges faced by the them surfaced the positive attributes that handicrafts inherently possess – maker stories, craftsmanship, slow manufacturing, quality over quantity and a liberal creative process.
Subsequent field studies in Kashmir handicrafts, informed the decision to take up Paper mache craft as a starting point for the project. Problems in the paper mache system were analyzed and experiments were done to understand them and solve for them. Mold making was found to be the bottleneck in the system and eventually new mold-making techniques designed, hinting at new process developments.
Artefacts were made using these new mold making techniques which demonstrate the making of contemporary objects using traditional skills that are rich in cultural identity and are relevant for today’s consumer.
These artefacts were then exhibited in the “Maker Mela” which led on to new opportunities of collaboration and entrepreneurship. Also, valuable feedback was received from the people who visited the exhibition and subsequent paper mache workshops. The obvious next step is participating in more such collaborative events exploring a potential entrepreneurial possibility for the project.
The full documentation of the project can be found here..Repositioning traditional
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