Ceramics and Beyond Symposium

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Curated by Falguni Bhatt,
at Art Ichol, Maihar, India, ​March 5-20, 2019.

The symposium participants are

Reyaz Badaruddin (India),
Young Soo Kim (Korea),
Po Wen Liu (Taiwan),
Falguni Bhatt (India), 
Graham Hay (NZ /Australia)

Symposium opening ceremony: Left to right: Graham Hay, Po Wen Liu, Ambica Beri, Falguni Bhatt, ​Reyaz Badaruddin, Young Soo Kim.

Follow the story via images at:
Art Ichol Instagram
Art Ichol Facebook
Falguni Bhatt Instagram
Po Wen Liu Instagram
Young Soo Kim Instagram
​Reyaz Badaruddin Atelier Lalmitti


We would like to express our deep appreciation to Ambica Beri, Art Ichol Director  for her support and vision, making this all possible.

Thank you to the ever helpful studio staff: 
Milan Simgh
Uday baan Singh
Kamlesh Choudhary
Raja Kuswaha
Sandeep Vishwakrma
​Ravi Kumar (absent)

As well as Subhra, and the house staff for feeding us and providing clean and functioning facilities.

In addition to making...
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The symposium was held in Maihar, a city in Madhya Pradesh, a northern Indian province.  We reached it via first class (sleeper) coach on an overnight train from Kolkata. The predominately agriculture based local economy is undergoing a building boom due perhaps to the vast limestone reserves in the area and the recent construction of the huge KJS Cement plant nearly, which produces around 8,000 tonne of cent per day.

In addition to making in the ceramics studio, visits were organised to:

A five hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage listed Khajuraho Group of temples in Chhatarpur, Madhya Pradesh.  While our elderly guide seemed keen to point out the specific erotic sculptures, they constituted only a small part of the amazingly complex temple structure and surface.  Constructed over a thousand years ago around 20 of them are still perfectly intact and set among manicured lawns and gardens.

The famous temple of Maa Sharda Devi, on the top of the Trikoota Hills.  Fortunately we went early with regular attendee Ambica Beri and her security office, drove to a private carpark at the bottom and used the chairlift (avoiding the 1,063 steps) up the mountain.  Consequently our visit was both smooth and quick through the thousands of daily pilgrims (apart from young couples trying to get me to do selfies with them!).  

The home and shrine of the greatest master of Indian classical music; Ustad Allauddin Khan (died 1972).  His students include Pandit Ravi Shankar (heavily influenced The Byrds, George Harrison of the Beatles, and a wide range of western popular musicians).  This is the the birthplace of the Maihar Gharana (school or style) of Hindustani music. 

The nearby huge KJS Cement plant is feeding the local building boom, along with dozens of local brick making families converting the local clay soil into “No.1” and other brand red bricks.

Local markets and a trucker's cafe.

Welcoming ​village potters at Ichol.

Friendly village potters at ​the drivers village Chandia a pottery village  2 hrs drive away.
          visited Main Street potter and 
​          Potter Mahesh​, his throwing and hand building wife and their  
​             friendly family.

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Potter Mahesh​, his throwing and hand building wife and their lovely family, in Chandia, a pottery village.

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​Brick maker communities

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Further reading:

Art Ichol Journal - 4th Volume - Performing Art - Natyam, 2018, Gallery Sanskriti, Kolkata
ART ICHOL Journal 3rd Volume, 2017, Gallery Sanskriti, Kolkata
Art Ichol Journal 2nd Volume - Seeing Art, 2016, Gallery Sanskriti, Kolkata
ART Ichol Journal 1st Volume, 2015,  Gallery Sanskriti, Kolkata
...more