SCISSORHANDS ARE BACK

Sanjhi, a long-established stencil art, is seeing a resurgence, says Debasrita Chakraborty

The stylized depiction of a fully-leafed Kachnar tree, which is made by cutting small pieces of paper into shape and affixing them like a jigsaw puzzle will hold you transfixed. Layered against a dark backdrop, with some pieces missing, the artwork was one of the many which were displayed at an exhibition of Sanjhi, an ancient art form that uses unique paper-cutting and folding techniques.  Another paper artwork was placed on a mirror so that the viewer could place himself/herself inside the artwork.

An exhibition conceptualized and curated to mark the golden jubilee year of the Delhi Crafts Council showcased the miracle of paper works where the creators use scissors and sharp paper cutting blades to fashion unbelievable amazing artworks. It explored the theme of architecture and was formulated after a year-long dialogue with the artisans. Based on a collaborative process and shared vision, there are Mughal style buildings, actual architectural drawings of the ghats in Mathura, architectural imagery seen in miniature art as well as traditional architectural themes from religious places.

The 15th to16th century art originated from a traditional custom among the Vaishnav sect. They used it to decorate temples and kirtan sabhas during festivals such as Rasa, Holi, Janmashtami, and Jhulan. Even today,Sanjhi art is practiced in some temples of Vrindavan and Mathura.

The artworks have been made meticulously and in great detail by the artist. The technique involves cutting the outline of each portion separately. This can be layered with different colors of the backdrop. The traditional frames depict actual sites of pilgrimage visited by devotees in Mathura and Vrindavan.

Artist Mohan Kumar Verma feels that he has witnessed the transformation of a little known craft to a recognized Indian art form. Verma along with his two brothers, Vijay and Ajay, has worked on a variety of projects ranging from stationery products to large installations. But it is certainly not an easy art to learn. He says, “Years of hard work, patience and practice are required to attain the skill of cutting out papers finely. I am the fourth generation of my family working as a Sanjhi artist from Mathura. I learned it from my grandfather and father.”

A firm grip over the use of scissors is necessary to give a fine expression to the thoughts of the artist. “The time taken to complete one art piece depends on the size and detail. Some of the pieces might take up to three days to finish and some longer than three months,” says he. The artists use hand-made paper, including banana rice paper, rice paper, jute, and mixed rice paper.

National awardee  Ram Soni and his entire family specialize in creating paper jewelry. Soni says, “This is commonly known as temple art and was used to decorate prayer halls. I work on silk paper for jewelry. I have also worked on different projects with designers and architects. Over time,Sanjhi was declining and the number of artisans had shrunk to a few families. But now the demand is growing as there is an appreciative audience.” Soni regularly conducts workshops and participates in exhibitions all over the country.

However, it is not just the Vaishnav sect which influenced Sanjhi but the Mughals as well. The works Mughal Floral Motifs, Vase with Flowers and Parakeets on Vase are representative of this influence and have a distinctive Persian influence. Jaalis, which are used in abundance in Mughal architecture, make an appearance and form a large part of the repertoire.

Sanjhi upholds the rich Indian culture of depicting silhouette and stencil forms. The most unique way in which these paper cuttings were sometimes used was for imparting impressions on water. A large vessel was filled with water and then a paper cutting was carefully placed on its surface. Then it was covered with a powdered pigment called aabir.  The paper cutting was removed carefully so that the design could be stenciled on water.

published in http://www.dailypioneer.com/vivacity/scissorhands-are-back.html