Dastkari Haat Crafts Bazaar: An art fair that transcends boundaries of language

With differences in their language and techniques, the artists from India and outside the country creates an artwork with the cooperation of each other.

Art has no language and Dastkari Haat Crafts Bazaar — the on-going festival in the Capital — is a living example. Inviting artists from across the world since 2004, the annual bazaar creates a mélange of artworks.

Paper-mache artists from Israel and India are working together at Delhi Haat, INA. (Photo Shivam Saxena/ HT)

In its 32nd edition, Israel is the partner country for the 15-day- long festival at Delhi Haat. Five artists from Israel are creating artworks in collaboration with their Indian counterparts in five categories of handicrafts — paper-mache, wire, patch work, felt and embroidery.

Sundari, an artist from Chattisgarh, who has travelled across the world to showcase her paper-mache work is now working with Vered Otmy, an artist from Israel. While Sundari speaks Hindi, Otmy talks in English. Both are unaware of each other’s language but are working together to create a common piece of artwork with paper-mache. “Colour is our language of communication. Despite using different techniques, the commonality lies in the colour. To give a makeover to an earthen pot, we both will use our varied skills and to communicate, we use brush strokes,”says Otmy.

Mohd Rafeeq from Delhi and Nihad Dabeet from Israel working together on wires at the 32nd Dastkari Haat Crafts Bazaar. (Photo: Shivam Saxena/ HT )

Moreover, there are designers and guides to help them, but the artists seldom need their assistance.

Nihad Dabeet, an artist who works on wire says, “Art is an International language. Mohd. Rafeeq, my fellow and I don’t need a proper language to talk. We speak in the language of art. We’ve decide to mix oxidised copper and colourful metal to come up with something quirky in wires.”

Everyone in the mela is excited to learn innovative techniques from each other to create a new form of artwork. Janine Golbert, who works on felt, says, “I’m happy and excited to learn skills from Indian artists. As far as communication is concerned, we talk with our hands, eyes and smile. Craft is one of the languages and we have our own way to exchange words.”

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