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| | Post New Topic | | Hope for the Folk and Tribal Artists of India !! | Views: 518 | | Oct 29, 2008 8:16 pm | | Hope for the Folk and Tribal Artists of India !! | # | 
Surajit Ray | | We have all seen the multitude of sites selling contemporary art. There are art houses with websites. Artists in some cases have their own websites. An mostly there are a multitude of contemporary art auction sites. But what about the folk and tribal artist of today ?
In the realm of folk art - there is rarely any chance of phenomenal fame. That is because they are by the nature of their origin not tech-savvy and have hardly any access to an appreciative audience. Most of the sites that sell their art usually choose to neglect the artists. The result is that most of these artists are fast disappearing from our cultural canvas.
To remedy this situation a project was started a year back. This project was called Rare Indian Art. The purpose of the project is to get these impoverished artists a forum on the Internet. These artists are primarily making handicrafts and folk paintings all over India. However there audience is limited to those around them. This has to change if we would like to carry on this rich heritage into the future.
In most handicrafts businesses operating out of India today - only a few cater to the artist. Almost all the exporters have factories where the "art" and the "craft" is produced. This actually hinders the artists as the talented artists are replaced by hordes of "copiers" - talented but unimaginative workmen who can only copy an existing design. Rare Indian Art is an effort to change this mindset and bring the folk artist closer to the buyer. Also the feedback produced by the buyer is relayed back to the artists. This results in improvement of the workmanship. Sometimes buyers come up with novel ideas which they are unable to create themselves. This is also relayed back to the artists.
Rare Indian Art works with and promotes many NGOs (Non Government Organizations) from all over India. These NGOs provide employment to a vast multitude of impoverished folk from India. Although the nature of these organizations prevents them from producing great artists - they however do produce ethnic but simple artifacts and gift items. These gift items serve the dual purpose of employment generation and maintenance of the Indian folk and tribal heritage.
Apart from the social context of the project the website itself is based on an open-source secure e-commerce solution called zen-cart. The site supports SSL and payments can be made through Paypal or CCavenue. A vast number of credit cards are accepted and shippings are free within India.
Customers on the site can track their orders. Also gift certificates are given to loyal customers - to repay them for their support of this concept.
Overall an interesting website to promote the cause of the impoverished folk and tribal artist of India.
website : http://www.rareindianat.com
Other Pages
Faq Page : http://www.rareindianart.com/index.php?main_page=page&id=23
Sample Item page : http://www.rareindianart.com/index.php?main_page=product_ratedart_info&products_id=214&cPath=67_78
The Map page : http://www.rareindianart.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=89
Handicrafts : http://www.rareindianart.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=67t.
Private Reply to Surajit Ray | | Oct 30, 2008 3:10 pm | | re: Hope for the Folk and Tribal Artists of India !! | # |
Amita Shanbag | | The web rareindianart did provide some insight into works of tribal folk. There should be NGOs supporting the cause of spreading the skills in backward areas. If a Vidarbha district in Maharashtra can promote crafts from Rajashthan, or Sikki/Madhubani from Bihar, we will achieve some self reliance and rural upliftment, especially of the womenfolk. More disposal incomes in the rural areas will enhance purchasing power and boost industry manyfold.
Private Reply to Amita Shanbag | | |
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