Paintings in fashion, is art in motion. The fall of a perfectly draped saree with stories wrapped around it is just like an artist’s masterpiece sculpture in a museum; delicate enough to crumble but strong enough for you to be mesmerised. A beautifully narrated story of India on canvas for some is as beautiful as the delicate hands of a woman who arches her arms to get the perfect curves to create depictions of the very same painting only to be worn as an odhna. That my friends, is the beauty of Kalamkari.
Kalamkari is derived from – “kalam” and “kari” which literally translates to “pen craft” (kalam stands for pen and kari stands for craft). As the name suggests, paintings and images are depicted on fabric painstakingly by hand with a pen like tool which is dipped in natural dyes to first outline the drawing and then filling it in, almost like an adult sketch book only more beautiful and intricate. Kalamkari as an art originated in present-day Andhra Pradesh where it still holds fort for being the hub of Kalamkari production in the country. However, despite its beauty and unique designs, Kalamkari saw a gradual decline due to many unfortunate factors.
We celebrate the 73rd Independence Day of India, and in 73 years we as proud Indians can say this as a fact that now more than ever we have truly realised the worth of being #VocalForLocal. Even when the realisation and awareness for homegrown art was low, it was designers like Gaurang Shah who helped revive this art by inculcating it in high-fashion and made us fall in love with it all over again. It was only fair then, to have him on board to tell us just what we needed to know about this art come to life.
When it comes to bridal trousseaus, Kalamkari has gained momentum over the years. Heavily embellished Kalamkari sarees are slowly on the rise of becoming heritage pieces which can be passed on to future generations as heirloom as well. Sabyasachi Mukherjee, a couturier in his own right has also done a lot to preserve the integrity of many different weaves and techniques including Kalamkari. For The Curiosity Art And Antiquity Project, Sabyasachi Mukherjee had inculcated the delicate Kalamkari with his signature zardozi work on the borders and the saree pallus to create unique and distinctive pieces for his collection, fit for the modern Indian woman.
source: ttps://swirlster.ndtv.com/style/independence-day-special-kalamkari-creating-art-on-fabric-2279514
