dried gourd patterned with hot metal
This art form is called 'Tumba Art' in which hot metal rods are used to draw and puncture dried bottle gourds to decorate pots and vases.
This is a hybrid Tampura and Sarod (two Indian string instruments). Like in ancient India where all instruments were made using dried gourds, I made this instrument using the age old techniques of Tumba Art at the Devrai Art Village. The hollowed our gourd provides an amplified and more delicate sound. The woman made is typical of dressing and behaviour in rural India: she is carrying 3 pots of water on her head & walking for miles. I made this artwork after thinking about how I, a privilege Indian take water, a basic commodity, for granted. At the same time, there are woman in my country who need to walk miles every day to obtain as much water as I would waste in one shower. The material (sun-dried bottle gourd) is actually used to make pots for carrying water, and the method of charring designs is used to decorate pots. The water in these pots of hollowed hours would keep the water cool and give it a sweet flavor. The saree worn is typical of the Maharashtrian saree draping style.
Alongside is a recording of a song about wholeness from the Isha Upanishad that I sang with the melody of my instrument.
Alongside is a recording of a song about wholeness from the Isha Upanishad that I sang with the melody of my instrument.
The Sarod was made to help raise awareness about the condition of women in these villages and help encourage people to donate to help build wells in near proximity of villages to make sure that women and children don't need to walk mines to obtain a basic necessity.
An in depth research of the craft :
Images from the workshop where the craft is practiced :
