A New Papier Mâché Collection, Made in Kashmir
The second of the four new 'Made in Kashmir' collections is a beautiful papier-mâché line, designed by the Aid to Artisans/Creative Learning (ATA) team and Aviva Maya Design and crafted by artists in Kashmir. I am delighted to promote this project with the support of ATA to help create market opportunities for artists in India.
This collection resonates with a sense of innovation, environmental sensitivity, and aesthetic timelessness as the artists transform recycled paper pulp and wood into gorgeous decorative accents for your clients’ homes. The process doesn't require the use of any electricity as the pieces are made entirely by hand. The artists work with upcycled materials and use natural sunlight for drying. Sasha Association for Craft Producers, a non-profit organization, is facilitating this project alongside the Zadibal Craft Producer Company in Kashmir.
To start, tell us about the process behind crafting this collection?
The people of Kashmir have been working with papier-mâché since the 15th century, when it was brought to the region by visiting travelers. This collection is a collaboration between two groups of artists: Sakhtasaz makes the object with paper pulp and Naqqash paints the surface of each product. The process is done entirely by hand – from making the paper pulp, to forming the molds, to painting the pieces in various motifs and colors that remind us of Kashmir’s rich culture and history.
The process is lengthy and intricate. Recycled paper is sourced from local paper presses or universities. The paper is soaked for 3-4 days, torn, and then turned into pulp using a stone mortar so it is fully uniform in consistency. The pulp is then left in the sun to dry and mixed with rice glue before it’s hand-pressed around molds to create each unique shape. The pieces are painted by hand and then finished with lacquer to make the outside smooth and to prevent cracking.
What makes this collection and craft technique so unique?
Our collection is unique in that the process is done almost entirely by hand without any machines. Electricity is used only for drying pieces during the winter and monsoon seasons because of the absence of bright sunlight to dry the molds. Because of that, our craft has a very low carbon footprint. All of our raw materials are locally sourced and our main source of material is waste paper, which would otherwise be discarded. The craft is practiced mainly in homes where all the family members participate in the process.
What impact does this collection have on the artists who created it?
This initiative not only provides economic opportunity for hundreds, if not thousands, of artists, but it protects and carries forward a technique that is unique to Kashmir and that’s special for the artists to be a part of. It also requires very little capital for the artists to get started and source materials.
This collection has been made possible by the “Art-X Kashmir - Export Linkage for Four Artisan Clusters in Jammu & Kashmir” project funded by the Project Implementation Unit of Industries and Commerce Department of the Government of Jammu & Kashmir under the World Bank funded Jhelum & Tawi Flood Recovery Project (JTFRP).
Photographer: Arif Irshad
To place an order please contact annie@aowhandmade.com and she will introduce you to this enterprise.