Ghadai by the potters of Kutch

THE LATEST EXHIBITION AT KHAMIR

Ghadai
by the potters of Kutch
17 January 2015 - 31 March 2015
Khamir Campus, Bhuj

Watch the trailer of the exhibition!

“Ghadai” is a pottery exhibition conceptualized by KHAMIR, to showcase the handicraft of the Kumbhars, potters of Kutch. The exhibition will trace the history of the Kutch potters, as well as present exceptional pottery pieces created especially for the project. The word “Ghadai” refers to the name of the unique and highly skilled technique used by traditional potters to create large objects of pottery.

This exhibition is the result of the work done by KHAMIR with seven traditional pottery clusters of the desert region, with the aim of bringing back the vibrancy of this craft. The project began with a tracing of the history of pottery in the Kutch region, where the team from KHAMIR travelled through different villages, talking, interacting and filming the artisans in order to be able to compile a comprehensive history of the craft. The final result is an exhibition that showcases the pottery of Kutch, its archaeology and 7000 year-old history and the social relevance of not just the craft but most importantly of the potter - known as the “prajapati”, lord of the people.

The highlight of the exhibition is the exceptional pottery pieces created by artisans from various pottery clusters. These pieces are recreations of traditional pottery objects that were used in the region but have been lost to time. As a result of a largely oral tradition of continuing know-how, and the lack of formalized curation and documentation of traditional crafts, some of these pieces are not even found in museums. It was through dedicated efforts of the team that potters were identified who were familiar with the techniques of making these forms.

These pieces will be auctioned online on the KHAMIR website from February 12th 2015 to March 31st 2015. Proceeds of the auction will go towards continuing the work of KHAMIR within the handicraft space.

This project was selected for support by the Fondation d’entreprise Hermès as part of the H³ programme: Head – Heart – Hand.

The Ghadai show opens at the KHAMIR campus in Bhuj, Kutch on January 17th, 2015 and will be on till the 31st of March. 2015. During this time it will also travel to Mumbai for a special display at Hermès, 15 A Horniman Circle, Mumbai from February 12th to March 1st 2015.