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Kolkata art collector seeks to revive traditional
embroidery art
by Ajitha
Menon
Kolkata:
Sharmistha Mullick, an art collector in Kolkata,
is trying to give embroidery; a fabric embellishment
technique, a new expression by presenting it in an
unconventional art form. She has received training
in embroidery for about three years and has been seeking
to give it a new definition since 1992. At first glance,
it is possible that one may mistake her collected
works for paintings or pencil sketches. Sharmistha
says that painting with a brush and colours is much
easier. She says mixing can change colours, one can
almost re-do the whole work on canvas by colouring
over. However, for embroidery art, there are no such
easy avenue. From sunlight filtering down on trees
to a crow perched delicately on the head of a statue,
from Rajasthani women dancing to the anxious face
of an old woman and legendary filmmaker Satyajit Ray
to Amitabh Bachchan, from cats to Goddess Durga, Sharmistha's
art charms everyone by her themes and depiction. "The
process starts with sketching, then I use pastel colours
to colour the sketch marginally to get an idea. Then
I create the idea on cloth through embroidery. I want
people to recognize this. I want to teach others too
to prevent this art from dying. This traditional talent
surely needs revival but not in the ordinary way of
bed covers etc or through a few kantha stitches, but
it has to be evolved more and accepted as art," says
Sharmistha. "Even though earlier women like our mothers,
grandmothers and other household women used to do
embroidery for passing their time. But now women can
realize through this that embroidery need not be merely
for passing time, it can evolve into art like paintings.
This work is a revival of a traditional skill. It
makes one happy," Sharmistha said. "Changing the threads
constantly does shades. The threads of different colours
are used to create a particular shade. Like the cats'
eyes, I used different threads - blue, yellow - for
each stitch to get the perfect shade," she explained.
Talking
about her variety of works, she said: "I do all kinds
of work. I try to depict folk art, which is close
to my heart. It needs revival. I also do modern work,
portraits, animals etc. I like faces - old and young.
I have done a piece on Kolkata - a mix of old and
new - hand rickshaw puller carrying a girl talking
on the mobile phone. I have done works on Rajasthan.
I do everything that catches my fancy." Sharmistha's
husband Sudhir wasn't sure about what his wife exactly
intended to achieve in embroidery since she started
embroidered work. "Ever since I have started taking
interest in embroidery works, I have been astonished
to see such beautiful pieces of art form," said Sudhir.
"The works depict nature, human faces, human reactions
- all have been presented. But moreover, it has changed
our opinion of embroidery. That such fine details
can be exposed through needle and thread, even better
than oil painting, was something not known to me before
I arrived here. It's really outstanding work," said
Partho Pratim, one viewer. Even though embroidery
has been a traditional art form in the general household,
especially in small towns and the rural parts of the
country, the latest attempt to present it distinctly
before the art lovers may generate a new enthusiasm
and charm for this art.
-Nov
9, 2008
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