Thanjavur Art plates: A contemporary perspective on heritage revival
Thanjavur Art plate (‘Kalai thattu’) is an artistic fusion of metals -brass, copper and silver layers in stages. It is a ceremonial handicraft consisting of two main parts, Maiyam - primary silver relief at the centre and the Talavaram - alternating brass and silver wedges along the circumference of the plate. It was given a Geographical Indications (GI) tag in 2007 and was listed as the 63rd item.
History
The journey
As we walked into the pattarai (workshop) at Ellai amman kovil theru, Thanjavur, we saw Mr.Shankaran-a master craftsman and prime mould maker and Mr.Kumar-art plate maker, working on the minute details of the art plate, each person a master of his art. However, the artisans were utterly dismayed that even their neighbours hardly knew about their immemorial artistic lineage.
Understanding the setbacks
It was noted that the patterns and designs used by the artisans were old and monotonous. Most importantly, the work environment and the tools used were not efficient. Each metal sheet was prepared by constant hammering and pressing between the lead dyes, which caused severe strain in the back upon working for long hours. Also, the price of an art plate was found to be a major hindrance in reaching a large customer pool. Art plate as a decorative wall hanging or other similar ornamentation also has seemed to have less popularity. Through a workshop called “Tacit knowledge transfer”, our designers and students along with the artisans analysed the processes, tools, and setbacks involved and discussed the next course of actions.
Design Interventions
At first, few modernised applications of the art plates like designing bags with small ornate metal motifs, dinner set designs, etc. were put forth. However, the artisans explained that the arakku that is used as glue to stick the metal sheets would melt upon exposure to the sun. Hence we came up with a new glue made up of ‘Karuvela maram’(Prosopis juliflora) resin that can withstand a temperature up to 55˚C. Our students suggested a few trending designs like Game of thrones icons, Zodiac signs on personalised diaries, in-vogue jewellery designs that are both affordable and appreciated by the current generation. In addition to contemporary suggestions, with the guidance of the artisans, we corrected and revived a traditional ‘Sivagami Natrajar’ design from the Chennai museum.
Technological assistance
To ease the tedious job of making multiple copies every time, a combination of laser cutting machines and hydraulic compression machines were installed in our prototype development centre ‘Dakshakalam’. The traditional tools were documented and a digital library was created, giving ready access to all the tools anytime, anywhere. Fast Pneumatic tools that outwitted the traditional tools were conceptualised and can be expected in the market within a few months.
Ergonomic analysis
Understanding
the nature of work and the environment, ergonomic analysis by RULA method was
carried out. In line with the floor sitting culture, a carefully calibrated
chair and table with multiple compartments was designed that will increase the
efficiency of the artisans.
Captivating the next generation
Young artisans were taught software like Autocad, Matrix gold, Artcam and Rhino that enabled them to design contemporary patterns quickly. Mr. Rajesh, son of Mr. Shankaran had lost his interest in the art form and pursued Bachelor's in computer science. The technological guidance motivated him to move back to his artistic lineage and has proved the core ideology of this research a success. AR/VR enabled applications were created by our techie Vijayarajan, allowed the artisans to present vibrant and interactive design catalogues to customers.
Entrepreneurship
Mr.Shankaran
and team feels elated for the support extended by the team in setting up
start-ups -‘J.Shankaran Arts’ and ‘Shri Rajarajeshwari Artwares’ that
helps them to combine the tradition with updated technological advancements in
the field. “The precision, knowledge and the
experience of the artisans are not to be replaced, but are to be enhanced,
supported and cherished by every forthcoming generation and keeps it thriving”
says Dr.Kalaiselvi, our Project Investigator.
Beneficiaries
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