There used to be times when Ghumars (potters) were an integral part of our society. They enlightened others lives, but now there is darkness in their own lives. With the modern equipment catching up among the people, potters are vanishing fast from the social scene. Their number is declining every year as the modern utensils and items made of rubber, steel, plastic and other material is replacing traditional apparatus made of clay. If people continue to follow the new path, soon the art of making things of clay for every day use will be history. In fact, most people belonging to the potters’ tribe have already given up their traditional occupation and adopted other work in the changing scenario.
The main reason behind this transition is decline in demand for clay items, including earthen diyas, gharas, pots among other things. Besides, the new generation of this artistic tribe is no more interested in continuing with their traditional occupation. They prefer other jobs over their traditional work. During the past few years, a large number of youngsters, whose ancestral profession is pottery, are working in the government and private sectors.
The new generation finds it impossible to survive by making and selling mud items due to minimal demand. Items made of clay are no more in demand. One can not even earn bread for his/her family by selling such things as only a few people buy these and that too during the festival season. There are still some people in this profession. They become active during the festival of Diwali when the demand of diyas (earthen lamps) soars. But, as the demand is declining in the festival season, the occupation of making mud diyas is gradually vanishing. There was a time when flower clay pots were in a huge demand. Now, cemented pots have replaced these. It is too hard to survive by making such items these days.
Clay, which we tread upon day and night, what can it do- A lot! While your nimble fingers conjure up magic, one cannot help but wonder the way the malleable clay responds to you. One may think looking at a pot, how easy it is to make it – just that it only looks easy. Pottery an ancient craft is said to be the measure of a civilization. It is called the lyric of handicrafts. The antiquity of a place is generally decided by the pottery unearthed at the place. But in India and elsewhere, Pottery is dying a slow death. Pottery, which can be traced back to Harappan civilization, is merely reduced to an occupation, which is not too popular and does not yield a substantial income.
Ceramic products are indeed appealing but are extremely fragile. They are delicate beauties. Due to their extreme delicacies they come out as costly crafts in the markets, out of the reach of middle-class people. The production of ceramic utensils and products is an immensely tough job. It takes hours near the furnaces just to bring the right shape to the product. In the light of that the artisans developing these products are extremely indigent they work in dark cells often losing their eyesight in the process. The art of ceramic products is ancient but due to easy and cheaper availability of plastic products, it has become endangered over time.
The plastic products are industry manufactured and cheaper as compared to ceramics and thus creates a threat to the major market he story of a middle man is no different. The traders and small shopkeepers buy these products at cheaper prices from the artisans stating the fact that the products have difficult sustainability in the market and poor artisans are forced to sell their crafts at lower prices causing a threat to their financial status in the society.
The timeless allure of ceramics has its roots in pottery that can be traced back to the Indus Valley Civilisation, renowned for its fine craftsmanship. Emerging from the earth, ceramics, like terracotta, narrate the abundant tales of an ancient art form entrenched in the rich tapestry of culture of the nation. Today, it has gained popularity in the art world serving as a conduit for contemporary expression displayed in exhibitions, galleries, museums and art fairs worldwide.
Ceramic is a very versatile medium embodying an element of intrigue. Over the years, artists have experimented widely with it, exploring the myriad frameworks of form, function and creative expressions. It is no longer confined to pots, pans and home décor, but has now attained a prominent position in contemporary art due to growing popularity among art enthusiasts, researchers, collectors and patrons alike.
Earlier, ceramic was often deemed to be a part of crafts and was not perceived in the sensibilities of contemporary art. This deterred many from choosing ceramics as their primary medium. Over the years, as artists started experimenting with different mediums, there has been a noticeable surge of interest in the exploration of contemporary ceramics. Many of them are now taking up ceramics as their principal medium experimenting with different aspects of firing techniques, glazing and visual language defined by their unique self-expression. As the realm of contemporary art expands to various mediums such as sculptures, mixed media and digital art, ceramics have been integrated into the artistic milieu.
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