The University of Melbourne students spent the Saturday with the Kalamkari artisans, exploring the technical aspects of the textile art by practising it. The 20 undergraduate students of Planning and Architecture arrived at the Vijayawada-based School of Planning and Architecture for a two-week exposure visit. They would try to understand the urban planning of the capital city Amaravati, landscaping in Andhra Pradesh and would work with various communities.
“The students have already worked with farmers, slum dwellers to design suitable houses and the fisherfolk understanding their challenges on the coast,” University of Melbourne Professor Piyush Tiwari told The Hindu . The group was also keen on the cultural heritage.
Pitchuka Varun Kumar, designer of the Buddhist Kalamkari series, presented a live demonstration on the stages of the textile art, allowing them to practice it in their ‘Kalamkari museum’. The students were shown the process in colour extraction and given a formal training on wooden block printing on the fabric.
The artisans including Pitchuka Srinivas and the students discussed the trends, adoption of motifs and the historical connection of the art with Pedana. In the evening session, the students interacted with wooden block makers. K. Gangadhar and K. Narasaiah displayed a treasure trove of blocks with traditional motifs and those designed by the Indian scholars.
