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The inspiration for my project is rooted in my cultural identity as a native of Arunachal Pradesh. The objective of my project was to sustain the loin loom weaving practices of Naga weavers throughout the region by constantly evolving new ideas for loin loom products while retaining their own traditional cultural identity and heritage.
My project comprised three phases.
The first involved the study of Nagaland, its culture, a study of my sponsor, their ideology, the infrastructure, their working system, existing designs and the products.
The second phase involved developing affordable runners by reducing the price of the product by increasing the production rate through use of simple weaving techniques. Reducing the weight of the product and using traditional techniques to trademark the product so that it has its own identity were key.
The third phase involved designing block prints for cushion, runners and table linen based on Naga tattoos, paintings and wooden carvings comprising mainly of natural colors like ochre, black and alizarin red.
The non availability of modern machines to create heirloom products has led to poor quality finishing, affecting the productivity rate of the company. In addition, loin loom sector is going through a rough phase because of the high pricing of its products. So, I introduced simple weaving techniques in order to increase productivity without compromising on quality.
I have learned that design is not just about creative aspects but also about and human aspects. My experience was rich and meaningful in that I could bridge the existing communication gap between the market and crafts women. |