The Asian Heritage Foundation showcased culture and craftsmanship at Jiyo Live it

Jiyo! Live it, a 19-day outreach programme is organised by The Asian Heritage Foundation from October 2-20, 2018. The programme which was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Minister of Petroleum & Natural Gas and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship - Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, has received a great response so far. The initiative by The Asian Heritage Foundation was an effort towards public stock-taking of its project, Jiyo! - in its decade-long intervention in creating new livelihoods amongst skilled but vulnerable stakeholders of cultural industries.

Rajeev Sethi with Dhramendra Pradhan

An empowering programme creating new livelihoods in cultural industries amongst the skilled but economically vulnerable communities of India, JIYO! - a project of The Asian Heritage Foundation – signifies the arrival of a ‘Swadeshi (Indigenous) Brand’ for the 21st Century. The Foundation has organised 18 artisan producer groups/companies across clusters, and collaborated with district and state level government bodies nationally through Jiyo and Jani brands and locally through the ‘Jiva’ brand.

The effort accelerates synergy between multiple stakeholders from domains of textile-handloom-handicraft, culture, skill development, tribal affairs, tourism, rural development, poverty alleviation, information and broadcast, youth and sports, culinary arts, khadi, cottage industry etc.

The project which has been implemented by the Asian Heritage Foundation with an aim to enhance the livelihood opportunities of rural artisans for cultural industries through design-led intervention is an indigenous brand and a design-led initiative by the Asian Heritage Foundation, supported by the Japan Social Development Fund and monitored by the World Bank. The grant project titled, ‘JIYO’ ‘Creating Inclusive business models for the marginalized tribal communities of Jharkhand, Odisha and Madhya Pradesh’ was launched in 2014, and has received official funding from the JSDF, through the World Bank, as part of its worldwide initiatives to create livelihoods and to revitalise the traditional sectors.

Commenting on the initiative Mr. Rajeev Sethi, Founder, the Asian Heritage Foundation, says, “With scenography we reinvented a space of an old house that has been our office for 20 years. Young designers have put together installations showcasing AHF/Jiyo's mandate over the last decade. I feel unique skills positioned with Intelligent design can become a tool for self-empowerment. Today, all the Sangha leaders expressed their solidarity with the idea of making an artisan owned brand that can have both local and global markets. This is a vital contribution of the traditional knowledge sector boosting the creative economy. The exhibition cum outreach has inspiring anecdotal case studies as part of its daily programme.”

The ongoing exhibition has been an outreach for a vital design initiative inviting you to experience; review and course correct a pioneering program on skilled entrepreneurship for rural India through ten key activities. As much as 200 new prototypes in never seen installations such as Hand Printed Tent for Itinerant Tourism, Gaming with Gond, Sculpted Wild Grass, Origami Leather Lights, Asymmetric Jewellery, DIY Accessories, New Age cuts with Traditional textiles, Hand painted Dinnerware &Terracotta Forms have become a part of this programme.

Besides, visitors of this exhibition will be well educated and properly aware of the stories of the skilled artisans through the various storytelling sessions. There is a whole new experience of making/ doing and being with skilled makers and doers - through interactive conversations on Kotpad weave in Koraput Jail, Making Papiermache with differently abled, painted with Madhubani, Chutneys made at home; New beaded ornaments; painted Caves to printed Tents: wall paintings to 3D forms, Making new designs with Ikat; introducing Bandhani to Kalamkari; sabai grass - from rope making to ‘tedha-medha’ designs.

Also to provide business opportunities under one roof, the organisers have made sure of the B2B talk on trade and market potential with which one can understand the elements of Jiyo (Museum shops, Boutiques and Collections), Jani (Youthful, Affordable and Accessible) & Jiva (Rural services and products for rural consumers) and their place in the current market space.

Amidst all the fun and excitement, there are serious debates and discourses among the planners. People can know how to deal with the - who, how, what and where, when it comes to Government and NGOs through a talkathon with planners.

The exhibition also provides the chance to get the insight of the pre-launch preview of new collections and see, like and feel to make to order the products.

The guests can also enjoy the exclusive feast of forest foods all the way from Jharkhand and Jiyo! Foods from Guntur at the event. For the young people, there are hands-on sessions with skilled experts where they can come and relax. The section would have Yoga, dance, art and craft courses and workshops with transdisciplinary magic. One can also enjoy the never seen acts in the new age such as martial dance as expressionist exercise, itinerant story-tellers with jugglers and puppeteers, among other forms of entertainment through the course of the exhibition.

Last but not the least is the most dedicated segment at the event, which is ‘Jiyo Dialogues’. It is a series of conversations on the state of the Creative and Cultural Industries in India and the way forward.

About Asian Heritage Foundation

Asian Heritage Foundation is headed by Mr. Rajeev Sethi, South Asia’s leading designer and is noted internationally for his innovative contribution to preserving and celebrating the subcontinent’s rich cultural heritage. For more than 35 years, through his work in design and architecture, performances and festivals, exhibitions and publication, policy and program, he has identified ways to bring contemporary relevance to traditional skills of vulnerable artisan communities and creative professionals. With innovative positioning and proactive interventions, he has created a basis for the maintenance of time-honoured legacy industries in an era of industrial mass production and globalization. Recent works include the world’s only new museum for public art in the T2 terminal of the Mumbai Airport.

Disclaimer: This article has not been edited by Deccan Chronicle and is taken from a syndicated feed. Photos: NewsVoir.