For this project we had to create an object that we will want to keep and pass on to the next generation. It is supposed to have purpose, beauty and meaning for us now and into the future. It should be useful, resilient and repairable for long term.
Design brief:
I believe that childhood is a part of life that is filled with magical memories and experiences. During my childhood, I visited my native place, Rajasthan, often. I remember going to local fairs and sitting in front of the puppeteers. Kathputli or puppetry was one of the most raw and traditional Rajasthani performance-based art forms existing for more than one thousand years. With today’s fast paced life and focus on modernity, the art form has seen a rapid decline. My aim is to use this dying art and revive it by creating a puppet. Although it’s my personal take on the traditional Kathputli, it is yet a vehicle to carry old tales forward and narrate new ones in the future. I could convey personal stories or stories of climate change through the movements and it can be played by other people as well. The base of the Kathputlis are made out of cotton and stuffed with wool. All the textiles used are quite durable, recyclable and environmental friendly. The two sides of the puppet express two different emotions which could be really helpful in storytelling and creating dramatic effects. Since the Kathputli is constructed layer by layer, each element can be removable and replaceable. Repair is easy too because it would just need re-stitching. Puppets have transformed, from string puppet to hand puppets, there has been a great versatility. To adapt to this, I also added a wooden stick to the Kathputli, so it can give more support and act as a hand puppet as well. I believe that by passing down a mode of narration, I’m passing down my precious memory and part my childhood.
Process:
Storyboard (Illustrations that tell the story of my object’s life as I imagine it):
