Artefacts at Surajkund crafts mela catch visitors’ eye, but high cost hitting sales
While items made of brass, silver, bronze and wood have been attracting visitors at the Surajkund International Craft Mela here, the artisans presenting these types of traditional art forms are perhaps not getting the expected response as far as the sale of such items is concerned.
The market value of many artefacts is unaffordable for the majority of visitors, it is revealed.
Veteran sculptor Pushpender (60), displaying items made of brass at stall number 173 in the 38th edition of the Surajkund mela here, is perhaps one who feels that the commercial aspect of art has been weak in comparison to the attraction or importance of such items.
Though many visitors stop by to have a look at the items displayed here, hardly 10 to 15 per cent show interest in procuring those perhaps due to prices which may be unaffordable for many, it is claimed.
Pushpender, who hails from Tikamgarh district of Madhya Pradesh and has been participating at the mela for the past several years, says that while brass items have been displayed at households for the past hundreds of years, their importance is perhaps on the decline due to introduction of cheaper products like plastic, steel etc.
While the items displayed here include statues of gods and goddesses, animals and various other subjects, the significance, according to the artisan, lies in the fact that these are handmade products. Adding that the art had been recognised through many state and national awards, he says the process is complicated as the model of the sculpture prepared from clay, wax or other material. Then, it is cast in a mould in which molten brass is poured to give the shape followed by the handwork to give a decorative look.
Crediting the mela for promoting traditional arts and crafts, he says it had also emerged as a platform for direct interaction between the artisans and the common man as many genuine items may not be available in normal shops or malls. The title of the ‘Theme State for MP’ has also come as a boost as many visitors had been keen on visiting its stalls or craftspersons, it is claimed.
