The Handmade Collective, a showcase and sale of handcrafted products with a contemporary twist, is being held in Bangalore from November 24th to 28th. Organised by A Hundred Hands, a newly launched trust to help build sustainable livelihoods for those working with handcrafted products, the event will see a blend of artisans from across Karnataka and neighbouring states showcasing products across categories. From garments and accessories to home and gardenware, toys, gifts and foodstuff, The Handmade Collective offers a range of products fashioned for today’s consumer.
“Our vision is to create a world that celebrates the pleasure of handmade crafts in our homes and daily lives,” says Mala Dhawan, Founder Trustee of A Hundred Hands.
“We want to facilitate a community platform of people and artists interested in handcrafted and recycled products to build cross-linkages of products, skills and ideas at the local, regional and national levels, while also reviving the joy and beauty of handcrafted work amongst consumers at large. The Handmade Collective is the first step in this direction.” Over 35 artisans and groups working with different mediums like paper, glass, banana fibre, vegetable dyes, bamboo, ahimsa silk, lacquer, macramé, terracotta and many more are expected to participate in the event.
The Handmade Collective will also exhibit products made from unusual and dying art forms like Aepan (painting with fingernails ), Mughal handblock printing, Encuastic Art, Sanjhi paper cutting and Hase Chitra mud painting. Most of the work will be showcased by the artisans themselves, some of who are travelling from as far as Kashmir, Rajasthan, Orissa and Madhya Pradesh. There will also homemade food stalls with a cross selection of ethnic ready to eat and packaged products bringing back the warm sense of community in Bangalore. In keeping with the proximity to Christmas, also on sale will be handmade Christmas décor.
The focus of A Hundred Hands, the trust behind this event, is primarily small and medium sized artists who have a skill and a deep knowledge of their craft but who do not have the bandwidth to access large markets. With no middlemen involved, the artists and designers are directly involved in the creation and sale of their products. Given the need to contemporarise products to suit the modern day consumer, A Hundred Hands will develop a network of artisans, creative minds and marketers who will work together to give age old crafts a modern twist. Unlike any other bazaar, the primary focus of the Hundred Hands Event is to encourage interaction between the artists and the consumers - to learn, appreciate, imbibe, exchange ideas and build a community of those who love working with their hands.
The Handmade Collective, the showcase and sale of handcrafted products will be on from November 24th to 28th, 11.00 am to 7.30 pm at No 4, Ashley Road, Behind Hotel Ajanta, Off Brunton Road, Bangalore 560 025.
Range on Sale at The Handmade Collective:
Natural Products: Ahimsa silk, Banana fibre, Contemporary bamboo, Beeswax balms, Organic indigo garments, Sabaii grass weaves, Fine cotton, Vegetable dyes, Essential oils, Natural hair dyes, Natural insect repellents, Handmade soaps.
Contemporary forms of traditional crafts: Tableware and lamps in lacquerwork, Macrame jewellry and accessories, Patchwork and quilting, Handloom weaves, Terracotta gardenware, Handmade X’mas decorations, Wall paintings and murals, Cutwork table linen, Smocking, Hand embroidery.
Revival of Dying arts by Original Artists : Aepan ( painting with fingernails), Mughal handblock printing, Sanjhi paper cutting, Original stained Glass, Mud paintings, Kashmiri paper mache, Tribal metal jewelry, Tie and Dye.
Innovative Arts/Material: Encaustic wax relief paintings, Ceramic pottery, Paper quilling gifts, Masks, Jewellry across bamboo, wood, ceramic, terracotta, White metal and resins.
Eco-friendly products: Ganesh idols, Recycled bags, Organic foods, Handmade paper Cupboard liners, Shopping bags, Forest honey.
Homemade delights: Homemade favorites from different kitchens bringing back old Bangalore’s cosmopolitan community: pickles, jams, jellies, sauces, podis, masalas (parsi, iyengar, mangalorean, kashmiri), cordials, desserts, finger foods, home garden produce.
Learning Centre: Bringing back the joy of handmade among Gen Next - Traditional arts- Learning kits, Traditional games, The Kabir Project.
About A Hundred Hands
For a few years now, Sonia and Mala Dhawan who live off MG Road have been throwing open their garden to showcase the works of various artisans of handcrafted products. Whether it was the women farmers of Sirsi, Hase Chitra artists from Sagar or groups from Kumaon to Kundapur, No. 4 Ashley Road has slowly become a hub for small artists showcasing their work. Encouraged by this experience, the two sisters decided to formalise the initiative through A Hundred Hands, a not for profit trust whose primary focus is to provide a platform for artists involved in the creation of contemporary, handcrafted alternatives for our daily lives. It is a mission to help these artisans earn a fair and sustainable livelihood from their work.
A Hundred Hands is driven by the four I’s:
Innovate: Evolve and reinvent products, designs, mediums and experiences
Interact: Participate! Encourage young people to develop a love of working with their hands and older ones to develop or reignite a hobby.
Inform: Build sensitivity and appreciation not only for the end result of handmade work but also the process and effort involved.
Include: Transcend social and economic barriers to build a community of artists and like-minded individuals.
