Over the years, especially during the pandemic period, a number of art forms have become part of the everyday routine of many. Be it crochet, quilling, or knitting, the therapeutic side of these art forms has appealed to people across age groups and gender. One such growing art form is pottery and India is a burgeoning market of studio potters today. From one day hobby classes to intensive year-long courses, pottery is having its time in the sun. To commemorate this rise in passionate potters, the second edition of the Bengaluru Studio Potters Market is all set to begin in Bengaluru this week.
When Nalini Thyagarajan and Kshitija Mitter launched Bengaluru Studio Potters Market in 2016, studio pottery was a relatively new art form, and “not many delved into it”, says Kshitija, adding how markets were dominated by mass produced items. “By starting this initiative, we created a platform that promoted the value of handmade and one-of-a-kind craftsmanship,” she adds of the market that has been on a hiatus since 2016. Now that the studio potters community has grown, the duo has onboarded a team who will be conducting this event annually. “In 2016, the market was conducted along with Sampooran Santhe, and only 10 potters showcased their works in batches.
Bengaluru aside, 36 artists from across cities including Pune, Mumbai, Auroville, Bhopal, and Delhi will be showcasing their work. Expect miniature art, woodfired teapot sets, ceramic flowers, toys, among other creations. Ajay A, a miniature pottery expert from Mumbai says a visit to Prague in 2010 had him hooked to the region’s pottery and ceramics. “That was the trigger for me to try my hand at pottery. In 2011, I enrolled for a weekend workshop in hand pottery, and went on to pursue a weeklong miniature pottery workshop at Auroville. This proved to be a major boost to my hand building skills and over the years my hobby has turned into passion,” says the artist who will be bringing about 10+ miniature animals, wall hangings, and magnets to the event.
Swati Jain, a Bengaluru-based ceramic artist, will be bringing her signature style wall art and décor pieces. The artist who also works on commissioned handmade art for residences and commercial spaces, adds, “I work with handbuilding techniques to create wall art and decor pieces. I will also be showcasing a new, exclusive range of earthy vases and porcelain light fixtures which are a result of extensive experimentation.” As for Shubhankar Das from Kolkata, who specialises in landscape, flower motifs and figurative pottery, he says, “All my creations are underglazed. I will bring mugs, plates that function as wall hangings, and dinner sets.”
This year, it is going to be an exclusive event, says Kshitija, adding how it brings together artists from across India. She hopes to bring together a wide range of work spanning traditional pottery to contemporary designs. “We want to connect the artists to a wider art appreciating audience,” she concludes.
December 8 to 10 at Chitrakala Parishath, Art Complex, 1, Kumarakrupa Road, Kumara Park East, Seshadripuram, 10. 30 am to 7 pm
