Bhubaneswar, Oct. 7: A team of seven artists was busy brainstorming when most of the citizens were celebrating Durga Puja.

In an art workshop titled Readymade held at city-based Utsha Foundation, the artists made art installations with found objects.

Found objects are products that are not normally considered “artistic” as these already have a non-art function.

The artists also kept in mind the idea that their works also carried some sort of functionality. Working under the mentorship of curator Nityananda Ojha, an Odia artist based in Baroda, half a dozen artists in the weeklong art workshop created wonderful crafts using all kinds of materials.

All the artists were aged between 21 and 32 years. The youngest of all, Swagatika Bhoi, a student at Utkal University of Culture, had made the simplest of art works — a mirror frame — using cardboard clippings. Ojha used a mesh of wires to build a perfect support structure for climber and creeper plants.

One of the most striking items was by Smruti Sai Mishra, who made the miniature of a house that could also be used as a flowerpot using electronic chipboards. Using similar objects, he also made a pen stand.

“We were told that we needed to create an art work, which could be used in daily life. After contemplating a lot, I made these two items,” Mishra said.

Uma Shankar Dash made a book stand by using wooden ladles, and a bicycle chain as a bookmark. Other artists also put their thinking caps on and came up with keys holder, tumbler holder, incense sticks holder and lampshades using discarded items.

Gopal Krushna Rath made a wall clock using a wok and drawing a pair of legs under that, representing the wok as a pregnant belly.

This is a first-of-its-kind endeavour by the foundation that is known for organising art workshops. While the workshop concluded on Sunday, the exhibition of the items will be on till October 15.

A documentary that captured the activities of the artists was also screened on Sunday evening.