As part of SEWA Cooperative Federation’s continued effort to provide a platform for women artisans, SEWA Kalakruti has designed and crafted a new series of art frames. SEWA Kalakruti is a marketing and sales platform of the Federation aimed at showcasing products of cooperatives owned and run by women artisans.
The chief source of inspiration behind this collection is the work of the renowned artist, Syed Haider Raza; in particular his ‘Bindu’ series of artworks and paintings. He viewed the Bindu as a source of energy, so this felt apt as the inspiration behind these art frames as SEWA Cooperative Federation is, in a sense, an enabler of livelihoods for many women workers.
The inspiration goes beyond just the shape of the Bindu and extends into the choice of colour and threadwork, adding nuance and depth to the work. The frames represent natural motifs with several elements of flora and fauna embellishing the design.
The art frames are made using several traditional techniques such as appliqué, patchwork, embroidery and block printing, in line with our mission to provide employment opportunities for artisans practising a variety of art forms and techniques, thus bringing visibility to them and their work. This has also resulted in these artisans feeling a renewed sense of confidence in themselves and their work encouraging them to continue practising and refining their craft.
Additionally, these art frames use carefully upcycled fabrics and cloth that would otherwise have been overlooked, discarded or refused. Instead, these artisans chose to repurpose and rework these materials to craft and create something fresh and inviting. We, at SEWA Cooperative Federation, are dedicated to sustainability and minimising waste, and this is one of the many examples of this dedication.
These art frames are available for sale through SEWA Kalakruti’s Instagram. Please contact us there for any enquiries.
This post was written by Rohan, an intern with SEWA Cooperative Federation. To know more about how you can get involved with our work, click here.
