Craft and Culture
In many ways, a civilizations intangible cultural heritage is linked to its traditional forms of craftsmanship. They tell stories of lives lived, of past, of a way of being. Crafts signify the evolution of existence, they point us towards the role of rituals and traditions.
Crafts envelop tools, clothing and jewellery, costumes and props for festivals and performing arts, storage containers, objects used for storage, transport and shelter, decorative art and ritual objects, musical instruments and household utensils, and toys, both for amusement and education. Many of these objects are only intended to be used for a short time, such as those created for festival rites, while others may become heirloom that are passed from generation to generation.
The skills involved in creating craft objects are as varied as the items and materials themselves, like other forms of intangible cultural heritage, globalization poses significant challenges to the survival of traditional forms of craftsmanship. Mass production, whether on the level of large multinational corporations or local cottage industries, can often supply goods needed for daily life at a lower cost, both in terms of currency and time, than hand production.
Many craftspeople struggle to adapt to this competition. Environmental and climatic pressures impact on traditional craftsmanship too, with deforestation and land clearing reducing the availability of key natural resources. Even in cases where traditional artisanship develops into a cottage industry, the increased scale of production may result in damage to the environment.
Many craft traditions involve ‘trade secrets’ that are not taught to outsiders but if family members or community members are not interested in learning it, the knowledge may disappear because sharing it with strangers violates tradition.
The way forward could lie in con-temporizing the traditional while at the same time, finding new markets and empowering the crafts person.
Direct Create is dedicated to connecting India’s artisanal traditions with the global marketplace to create a new design paradigm — one that drives innovation, spurs creativity and empowers communities.
If you are excited to connect with the crafts community, Direct Create has made it very simple to get your craft at a click of a button and to engage and create with the skilled Craftsmen from across India. The DC platform has an active database of craftsmen and designers from across India and Europe and more are getting added every day. The platform provides an enriching experience to businesses and individuals to work with craftsmen, you can by simply clicking on the “Collaborate Now” button next to the craft on https://www.directcreate.com/craft.
To get your own crafted masterpiece, visit https://www.directcreate.com/ or drop a line at contact@directcreate.com.
