Indian Crafts Interiors

Indian Crafts Interiors

Edited by Jaya Jaitly and Aman Nath Foreword by Ashoke Chatterjee

crafts & design

260 pages, 288photographs and a map 9 x 11” (228.6 x 280 mm), hc

ISBN: 978-93-85360-94-7 2950 | $60 | £49.90 Jan. 2023 |

Published in association with Institute of Indian Interior Designers, Mumbai Traditional craftsmanship in India can be traced back to the beginning of civilization in the subcontinent. Locally available materials were used by master craftspeople in order to create objects of value used for a variety of purposes. Despite the wide range of crafts practised in India since antiquity, contemporary discourses on design have been slow to recognize the potential of this heritage, with only a handful of designers incorporating traditional crafts in their vision. With many such crafts now disappearing owing to modern methods, there is an urgent need to present a design-oriented perspective on crafts, with a focus on sustainability for a symbiotic and meaningful future for both.

It is not enough to treat crafts as an afterthought; the best results are obtained when a craft itself forms the DNA of the design. This volume aims to create a lavish showcase of the possibilities of Indian crafts being used in expressive, practical and contemporary ways within interior spaces. Organized by material, the contributors take us through the wide range of regional craft variations, further supported by outstanding design solutions that utilize these crafts. This material is complemented by the book’s appendix, which lists major craft forms and their pre-eminent practitioners across the country. The result is a volume that functions as a reference resource, inspirational “lookbook”, and index of practitioners. With insightful essays on stone; grass, coir and natural fibres; wood; textiles; bamboo, willow and cane; glazed ceramics and terracotta; surface decoration, metal; glass and mirror-work; and heritage properties by various pioneers, as well as stunning visuals, this is an indispensable volume for students and practitioners of design.

With contributions by Jaya Jaitly, Aman Nath, Asha Sairam, Kristine Michael, Neelam Chhiber, Rebecca Reubens, A. Balasubramaniam, Mitchell Abdul Karim Crites, Ayush Kasliwal and Arjun Rathi.