Sanskriti Museums

Sanskriti Museums - The Vision The Museums of Everyday Art, Indian Terracotta and Textiles are a conduit for the preservation and presentation of indigenous heritage, craftsmanship, aesthetic functionality and cultural practices. Tradition and modernity are not two separate categories - one transmutes into another. The preservation of cultural heritage, therefore, has its own validity. The museums at Sanskriti are a base for such preservation as great attention has been given to the socio-cultural context of the objects. Our vision is to build upon our collections and to transform our museums into a central resource hub for all research on the art and craft traditions of India in general, and particularly in our core areas of terracotta, textiles and everyday objects. We would also wish to use the time to simultaneously review our interpretive approach to our collections, taking into account the multiple and changing perspectives within museology and museum studies, using it to inform and further enrich our own understanding of our collections, and then share it with our visitors. However, museums the world over are also widening their scope from mere repositories and generators of knowledge, into dynamic learning centres striving to be perceived as active agents of cultural values. Thus Sanskriti Museums and their spaces also play a proactive role in

dissemination of information and creation of awareness amongst children, students, artists, scholars, designers and the interested public.

Sanskriti Museum of Indian Textiles The genesis of the Sanskriti Museum of Indian Textiles is rooted in what started as a small private collection built over the last three decades by Shri O.P. Jain, the founder president of Sanskriti Pratishthan. Prof. Jyotindra Jain then joined him in conceptualizing and curating the exhibits in the Museum galleries. The unique feature of this collection is that it stems from one individual’s aesthetic and cultural vision, which makes it a harmonious, unified whole. As the collection grew, the idea of turning it into a museum began to develop. There are several museums and collections of Indian textiles in India and abroad which may be more comprehensive and of greater historical value. The Sanskriti Museum of Indian Textiles does not compete with these but endeavours to complement them. The Sanskriti Museum of Indian Textiles was inaugurated on January 4, 2009 by the Hon. Chief Minister of Delhi Mrs. Sheila Dikshit. The Museum intends to serve as a resource for the study of Indian textile traditions. It moves away from the ‘masterpiece’ culture as much as from creating an exhaustive inventory of textile genres, as is often the case with many museums of the kind. Its objective is to display representative examples of selected traditions of Indian textiles, and to create a pool of information around these that will eventually serve as an academic resource for study and research. Activities Museum Updates and Past Activities Besides being important reservoirs of cultural heritage of India, the three museums also act as hub for various activities such as childrens’ workshops, guided tours, craft demonstrations, lectures and seminars and as reference for visiting artists to create their own work. Guided Tours and Talks for group visits are offered, from brief overviews to more in-depth discussions on particular aspects of the collection.

Similarly workshops and lectures around museum collections and objectives can be organized after prior formalization. Some of our past activities are as follows: 1. Teachers training workshop to inculcate museum as a tool for education. 2. Design Development Workshop In keeping with the Foundation objectives, Sanskriti organized a design and development workshop with artisans, who were guided to develop new products that would resonate with the three Museums, based on traditional crafts. The idea was to do a concept development exercise based on the three Museums, so that the final product reflected the context. The process included deriving shapes, applying motif and exploring combination of materials. The project was sponsored by the Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicraft), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India. 3. International Museum Day Celebration on 18th May, 2013 On the eve of International Museum Day two-days art and craft workshops in collaboration with Aga Khan Trust for Culture and UdyamPrayas were conducted on 17th & 18th May, 2013, based on the IMD 2013 theme, (Museums (Memory + Creativity) = Social Change) around the Museum Collection. The children were taught the art of Block Printing, Madhubani Painting, Crochet (Quasidakari), Watercolour Painting, etc in an effort to provide them a creative understanding and an expert’s guidance in learning selected art forms. In which around 200 children from MehrauliRamanujan, S.K.V ,Navyug School, NizamuddinBasti and UdyamPrayas took part in these workshops. 4. Various Craft demonstration by – SundariBai: Sarguja Clay relief work, Chhasttishgarh JagdishPandit -Terracotta & Clay work, Darbhanga-Bihar JamunaLal - Molela Terracotta, Rajasthan VithalBhai&MithaBhai - Poshina, Gujrat

Museum Visits 1. Museum Visit by the students of Chicago school of Art on 21st January, 2013. 2. Rabley Drawing School Group visited to Sanskriti Museums on 6th February. 3. Participants of UnBox Festival Group came for special guided tour of Sanskriti Museums on 6th February, 2013 and took part in a workshop. 4. Students from Upland School, USA visited Sanskriti Kendra on 29th March, 2013. 5. Students from University of Wyoming visited Sanskriti Kendra during 15th -21st May.

Artists studios Accommodation for International Residencies During your stay at Sanskriti you will be housed in the studio buildings, giving you full access to your workshop and studio space at all times, catering for whatever work regime you set for yourself.

Sanskriti Kendra provides three types of accommodation: 4 Studios - Type I Living Space – Mezzanine – 125 sqft Work Space – 415 sq ft 4 Studios-Type II Living Space – 270 sqft Work Space – 370sq ft All eight studios are double-storeyed apartments. A staircase leads up from the studio to the mezzanine to a comfortable bedroom and bathroom. All studios open into a courtyard. These are available for individual artist residents. 4 Dormitories – Type III Space - a – 600 sq ft b – 400 sq ft There are four ground floor general studios. All open into a courtyard. The dormitories have a boarding capacity of 4 to 5 adults. • All studios are equipped with worktables, work counters, easels, storage space and kitchenettes. • All studios have attached bathrooms with clean linen and towels. • Laundry services are available against payment. Dry cleaning can be arranged if requested. • The tariff for accommodation includes the rental, meals and use ofall facilities, including free participation in all the many cultural, artistic events and activities that take place at the Kendra.

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Ceramic Centre The Sanskriti - Delhi Blue Ceramic Centre – the only one of its kind in India-plays host to diverse ceramic activities and interactions, both national and international. The programmes offered include residencies,

classes and interactive workshops for ceramicists, talks, slide shows, firings and demonstrations.

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Regular beginners’ classes consist of a basic three-month course, teaching clay preparation, centering, wheel throwing, and making simple shapes. Special summer classes (particularly for children) are organized every year between May and July. Interactive workshops for potters and students of pottery conducted by Indian and international ceramists. Lectures and demonstrations by renowned national and international potters are held regularly. Visitors and visiting out-station potters can work on a daily basis at the Ceramic Centre. Firing facilities are available throughout the year, along with assistance in firing. Residencies during summer and winter, are organized via the Delhi Blue Pottery Trust.

In addition, pottery tours and walks can be conducted for visitors. Options include the Sanskriti Terracotta Museum, the Crafts Museum, and visits to potters’ villages, public and private studios.

Facilities at the Ceramic Centre The Ceramic Centre is well-equipped with the following types of wheels and furnaces: • 9 Kick wheels • 2 Painters’ wheels • 5 Electric wheel • 1 Pug wheel • 1 Wood kiln • 2 Gas kiln • 1 Testing electric kiln

Enamel Centre The centre is run by Sanskriti in collaboration with the Enamellist Society of India. This well-equipped Enamel Centre is set up for the purpose of promoting the art and craft of metal enamelling amongst craftsmen, artists, hobbyists, professionals, etc. By imparting training in the most up-to-date techniques

the Enamel Centre is helping reinvent the use of enamel. It currently offers the following courses:

For Beginners: 4 Classes • Vitreous enamelling on copper. • The course will cover working with transparent flux and other industrial colours, wet application, powder dusting and stenciling. Students will go back with at least 8 pieces of 4”squares.

Course No. 2: 4 Classes • In addition to the basic techniques cloisonné will be taught. The design is outlined by bending strips of wire to make a shape and fused to the metal piece. The space within the framework is filled with enamel.

Course No. 3: 4 Classes • Jewellery making and enamelling on copper and silver. • The course includes making, cutting jewellery pieces from metal and enamelling them.

One-Day Workshop on Enamelling • Exposure to the art of enamelling through a day’s workshop for a tourist group, students, NGOs and corporate houses.

Students can register for BENCH TIME and use the studio for 4 hours a day and practise under supervision after taking the above set of 12 classes. When the students feel they are ready for more advanced techniques, courses will be organized in the techniques of Texturing, Metal Forming, Champlevé, Basse Taille, Repousse, etc.

Accommodation During your stay at Sanskriti you will be housed in the studio buildings, giving you full access to your workshop and studio space at all times, catering for whatever work regime you set for yourself. Sanskriti Kendra provides three types of accommodation: 4 Studios - Type I Living Space – Mezzanine – 125 sqft Work Space – 415 sq ft 4 Studios-Type II

Living Space – 270 sqft Work Space – 370sq ft All eight studios are double-storeyed apartments. A staircase leads up from the studio to the mezzanine to a comfortable bedroom and bathroom. All studios open into a courtyard. These are available for individual artist residents. 4 Dormitories – Type III Space - a – 600 sq ft b – 400 sq ft There are four ground floor general studios. All open into a courtyard. The dormitories have a boarding capacity of 4 to 5 adults. • All studios are equipped with worktables, work counters, easels, storage space and kitchenettes. • All studios have attached bathrooms with clean linen and towels. • Laundry services are available against payment. Dry cleaning can be arranged if requested. • The tariff for accommodation includes the rental, meals and use ofall facilities, including free participation in all the many cultural, artistic events and activities that take place at the Kendra. Take a Virtual Tour... Computer and Internet Basic computer and Internet facilities are available on the campus. But no international calls or fax facilities are available.

Medical Care A First Aid kit is available in the office. In case of an emergency, you can request for medical help to be summoned. Residents mustpay for their own medical bills. Residents will be responsible for obtaining their own health / medical, accident or other insurance that may be necessary.

Dining Residents are provided three meals per day as well as tea/coffeetwice a day. Sanskriti provides an excellent range of simple, nutritious Indian vegetarian meals. If informed in advance, efforts will be made to accommodate special dietary requests.

Exhibition Halls and Gallery Spaces Sanskriti has two gallery spaces, which can be used for various exhibitions. Art Gallery I:900 sq ft Art Gallery II:800 sq ft

Library / Research Centre Sanskriti Kendra has a highly specialized reference library housing around 2000 books on art, culture, museums, Indian traditions of textiles, handicrafts and Indian terracottas, etc. Visitors, researchers, artists and students are welcome to use the material. Amphitheatre It accommodates approximately 200-250 audiences.The theatre has a large circular stage with a beautiful backdrop of an 18th century carved stone Jharoka. It is suitable for group or solo dance/music performances as well as skits and children’s plays. Eminent artists such as Madhavi Mudgal, Malavika Sarukkai, Kumar Mardur, etc. have performed.Theatre personalities like Faizal Alkazi have directed plays for children. Multi-Purpose Hall Dimensions – 1000 sq ft The multi-purpose hall and the art gallery are so designed that both spaces can be turned into one unified large space or used simultaneously as two separate spatial units, depending on the requirement of a particular event hosted there. The multi-purpose hall is equipped with state-of-theart audio-visual facilities and can lend itself well to

workshops, conferences, meetings, lectures, film-shows, etc. The general as well as the specialized lighting system and fixtures make the space an ideal art gallery.The MultiPurpose Hall has a seating capacity of up to 100 people. Local Transport Local bus or the Metro provides adirect link to the City. Our nearest metro station is Arjangarh metro station on the yellow line. Taxi: If required residents may arrange for transport to Delhi via local taxi or Radio Taxi service. Airport pick-up can be arranged on prior notice and will be charged on actuals.

Sanskriti Kendra Anandgram, Delhi The Kendra accommodates a varied range of activities connected with art and culture both in traditional and the contemporary sense. It is spread over 3 hectares on the foothills of the Aravalli range.

SALIENT FEATURES Developments on the site are basically organic. The natural features on site – the rainwater channel that ran down the center and the existing clump of trees were the major structuring elements of the layout plan. A basic movement pattern together with the entry points was defined with activity zoning to regulate the location of buildings and other structures according to function. This explains the absence of an articulated complex.

The buildings are semi-rustic in appearance and very scaled down in proportions. They have been sited in a manner as to leave plenty of breathing and strolling space between them, but not so far apart as to create a sense of cold isolation. Although generously proportioned windows possibly admit a lot of sunlight, the orientation of all the buildings has been planned so as to have minimal dependence on cooling systems. The rich earthen colour incorporated in a cement paint coating, applied to coarse-surfaced cement, is redolent of unspoilt natural landscapes and the ubiquitous, mud-plastered Indian village. Landscape – a judicious mix of formality and informality both in plant and hard landscape characterizes the Kendra. Geometric forms, pavements, paths and hedges intersperse the lawns, vans, the nahar and meandering paths. APPROX. COST: 30lacs