New Delhi: Chapter Four of India Craft Week (ICW) by Craft Village, a citywide celebration of the greatest craftsmanship, returns from October 20-23, 2022 at Okhla NSIC Ground, New Delhi, connecting art, design, and culture.
The show will feature organisations, brands, institutions, designers, craftspeople, artisans, craftpreneurs, and makers from India and around the world. Live demos, seminars, cross-talks, installations, galleries, and film screenings are all part of the ICW experience.
This year’s topic is one of life’s most essential components, water. Additionally, it is thought that each craft developed and flourished in areas with access to or near water features, such as lakes or “Dariya”. Few people are aware of the unspoken link that Craft and Water have had ever since civilizations first emerged. This year’s theme emphasizes the value of water as a resource for surviving and existing. A commitment to protect undersea life by conserving water and not polluting it. The underwater realm is significant because of its mystique, surprises, vibrant hues, and natural forms. The largest source of inspiration has been marine life, which is also a powerful metaphor for a world that is beginning to respect the sustainable culture, the “slow life,” and organic goods.
More than 100 craftsmen, producers, craft companies, museums, organizations, and figureheads will attend the show, which is billed as India’s official craft week and the world’s second-largest craft week after London Craft Week.
Craft has an intrinsic value to make the product conversational. The craft industry struggled greatly during the pandemic, and the artisans went through severe suffering. After the epidemic, India Craft Week was the only physical event last year, which gave artisans what they needed after a long break income, recognition, and orders. The India Craft Week, with a focus on “Good Stories Untold,” aims to bring stories from the craft sector and artisans who need to know and understand it rightly. It is intended to elevate the face of crafts which is still considered low-key.
“Today world is talking about sustainability, responsible consumption, circularity, and ethics, but our craft sector has been practicing this for thousands of years. They are innovative, multifunctional, culturally related, sustainable, and have a timeless appeal. India Craft Week aims to connect modern customers, industry, and patrons with craftsmen, in a sense past with the present and future generations,” says ItiTyagi, Founder of India Craft Week.
Through its curated experiences, Craft Village’s offspring ICW envision formulating a harmonious ecosystem of craft and the people who make it, connecting them with national and global opportunities. The idea was well received by designers, craft activists, and the social arms of the industry.
“India Craft Week creates an ecosystem for weavers and artisanal communities. We too at AadyamHandwoven, a corporate social initiative of the Aditya Birla Group, work actively with weaver communities across India to create a self-sustaining ecosystem for the finest artisans by enabling infrastructure & nourishing their craft and thus impacting their quality of life. We engage with them to create evolved sensibilities for new markets & help them connect with contemporary consumers, and for which a like-minded platform such as ICW is an ideal collaborator at many levels,” adds Manish Saksena, Lead, AadyamHandwoven.
This year India Craft Week will host its 5th and 6th edition International Craft Awards together to recognize and celebrate exceptional accomplishments worldwide, reiterating the message presented by the Craft Village team. With participation from more than 8 nations, the winners of the Craft Awards would be announced at the event.
–IANS