Daksha: Crafting Voices, a collaborative project curated and co-designed by Swarup Dutta, attempted to harmonise tradition with contemporary lifestyle and develop sustainable products for the hospitality market. Held from June 20 to 25 at Birla Academy of Arts and Culture, it was a melting pot of artists and art lovers. The artists, part of Rural Craft and Cultural Hubs, a collaborative effort of the department of MSME&T, Government of West Bengal and UNESCO, showcased their art in a spectacular display. The event also saw two panel discussions addressing significant issues in promoting these heritage crafts. “I curated and co-designed Daksha: Crafting Voices with Contact Base and their creative team. We the design fraternity have played a catalytic role in this project, collaborating with artisans to co-create products which are market-ready. It was a great opportunity to meet these creative producers for sourcing relevant products for hospitality projects, gifting and events industry,” said Swarup Dutta.
(l-r) Australian consul general Rowan Ainsworth (second from left) with Swarup and artisans, Fashion designer Kiran Uttam Ghosh dropped by
The exhibition attempted to showcase and empower the voices of many rural artisans apart from enlightening us about the rich heritage and cultural treasure that our state possesses. The range included beautiful masks and floral motifs made of shola to patachitra posters telling a beautiful story, and more.
