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Kaleidoscope of crafts
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An exhibition and a play to focus on the lives of weavers
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PRESERVING FOR POSTERITY Some of the saris to be displayed at the CCI exhibition
In an attempt to revive dying art forms, the Crafts Council of India (CCI) and the Madras Players come together to take up the cause of the Indian weavers. With first an exhibition and then the staging of a play, they will attempt not only to raise t
he profile of handloom weaves all over the country but also inform the public at large about the plight of the weavers.
Poor wages and prospects have meant the steady drift of weavers away from their craft. As a first step towards the goal of empowering the craftsmen and protecting the languishing art forms, CCI’s annual fund-raising exhibition at Chola Sheraton this year will salute the weavers.
To be held on March 14 and 15, the exhibition will feature the work of weavers from all over the country, such as the Kasavu sari weavers from Kerala, Banaras sari weavers from Varanasi and Khadi sari weaver K. Annaji Rao from Andhra Pradesh. Plus, NGOs such as Upasana that have been supporting weavers will be given a platform to plead their cause. The creations of designers such as Vidhi Singhania (Kota saris) and boutiques such as Pracheen, Weavers’ Studio, Pradan etc. will also be on display. Naturally, proceeds from this exhibition will go towards helping weavers and other craftsmen.
But nothing is more urgently needed than public awareness about the state of the second-largest industry in India — handlooms — and of its workers. Accordingly, the following week, the Madras Players in collaboration with CCI will present “Song of the Loom”, a play on the plight of the weavers written by craft activist Sabita Radhakrishnan. Directed by Indrani Krishnaiyer and T.T. Srinath, it tells the story of the clash between practicality and idealism in the form of an interaction between two families — a weaver’s and an IAS officer’s.
The play introduces colour and movement with the use of looms and textiles, and in the process, attempts to make its audience stop and think about the rich legacy of our handlooms that is slowly being lost.
Starring P.C. Ramakrishna, Amrita Shetty, Shankar Sundaram and others, “Song of the Loom” will be staged at the Sivagami Petachi auditorium on March 21, 22 and 23. Tickets are available at Landmark, Nungambakkam, CCI and the venue, with donor passes priced at Rs. 250 and Rs. 150. For instant reservation, call 98400 80783 / 93819 11977.
DIVYA KUMAR
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