Creation: Making a Handmade Book

How is a book produced in our fair trade book making workshop? Watch how each page of every book is carefully screen printed on handmade paper and expertly bound by hand.

Duration – 07:19 min

The Book:

Brer Rabbit Retold

Writer and griot Arthur Flowers re-tells the Brer Rabbit tales, in a musical spoken word performance along with a group of young Indian musicians. This genre defying cross-media project also features short animations.

Duration – 10:44 min

The Book:

Sita’s Ramayana

Based on her rendition of the Ramayana from a woman’s perspective, Moyna Chitrakar – a Patua singer and scroll painter from Bengal – performs an episode from the great epic and speaks about her storytelling tradition.

Duration – 08:22 min

The Book:

Travels Through South Indian Kitchens

Japanese architect and designer Nao Saito explores kitchens in South India. These four short films follow recipes she documented, providing a glimpse into the lives of the cooks.

Duration – 04:50 min

The Book:

The Making of Creation

The Gond artist Bhajju Shyam gathers together the myths and beliefs of his community from central India. He speaks of how the book came about, and the film also showcases how the book is produced at our artisanal workshop.

Duration – 13:14 min

The Book:

The Cloth of the Mother Goddess

This short film explores the stories and artistry of Mata-Ni-Pachedi, a traditional ritual textile art form. The words and work of artist Jagdish Chitara guide the viewer through the craft processes and contexts of his tradition.

Duration – 23:15 min

The Book:

Between Memory and Museum

This short film extends the dialogue in the book, with folk and tribal artists from across India, on the museum as a space which showcases their heritage. Who has the power to put whom in a museum?

Duration – 19:58 min

The Book:

Captain Coconut & The Case of the Missing Bananas

Meet ace detective Captain Coconut, whose great brain can solve any mystery, large or small. He finds himself on a slippery trail of peels and missing numbers…

Duration – 01:02 min

The Book:

I Saw a Peacock with a Fiery Tail

A well-known folk poem from 17th century England at first seems nonsensical, but given a break in the middle of each line, its meaning begins to unravel. Text, image and design work together to reveal and conceal.

Duration – 04:07 min

The Book:

From Floor To Book: Women’s Everyday Art Traditions

Many traditional arts have their origins in the decorative designs that women create to beautify their homes. This is usually considered part of housework – but what about women artists who have emerged to paint in other contexts, beyond the household? This collection of four short films explores this trajectory, through a feminist perspective.

Duration – 16:32 min