Artisans

 

A craftsperson is a person who is skilled in a utilitarian art, trade, or craft, especially one that requires manual skill. During the middle Ages, craftspeople banded together to form guilds. Every city had a guild for each group of artisans—weavers, carpenters, shoemakers, and so on—that regulated pay and prices, maintained high standards, and safeguarded its members from outside competition. Artisans are experts in a particular craft, usually one that is native to their region, culture, or heritage .They preserve theoretical and empirical knowledge of how to expertly make a particular good and pass on their working craftsmanship to future generations. It is the process of transforming basic materials into artistic works of art. Cultural legacy becomes more tangible in these processes, as manifestations show us how each group transforms its resources into functional, artistic, and symbolic things. Some craftsmen preserve "trade secrets" that aren't shared with anybody outside of their community. Practice about the artisans work are thought to be the most tangible expressions of cultural legacy that is immaterial.

Types of Artisans

Artisans could specialize in a variety of crafts. Carpenters, jewelers, leatherworkers, metalworkers, painters, potters, sculptors, and weavers were among the workers in this class. Many wonderful goods were created by artisans, including stunning jewelry and lovely furniture. Scenes of Egyptian daily life were depicted by painters. Although the majority of the artisans were males, some women weaved fabric, beaded garments, and created perfume.

Stone carvers were the most talented craftspeople. The statues, engravings, and reliefs seen in Egyptian temples, tombs, and monuments were created by them.

Stone carvers were crucial in the construction of tombs. The belief in an afterlife prompted rich Egyptians to commission ornate tombs. Stone carvers assisted in the creation of artwork for the tombs in order to respect and preserve the dead. They made stone coffins, statues of the departed, and intricate wall carvings.

Stone cutting was a difficult and time-consuming task. Granite, for example, was frequently used by the carvers. They pounded out the first shape of the thing with dolerite, a hard sort of rock. They next used stone tools and copper chisels to polish the shape and add features. They then used quartz sand to smooth and polish the piece. Color was frequently applied to the finished piece by painters.

Working of Artisans in different fields:

·       Textiles:

 This is the most popular technique among the artisans population. Artisans use many natural threads for their textile production. Some of the most common machines artisans use are the waist loom and the pedal loom. However there are an extensive range of techniques, each one of them with a unique beauty and complexity. In Latin American artisans create textiles with Pre-Columbian heritage, made from wool and natural paintings, charged with numerous symbolic meanings. One example of these are the famous Mapaches Textiles from Chile. Hicks began working with fibers in the late 1950s, going from Chile to Morocco and India to learn about indigenous artists' weaving skills. Rather than creating flat sculptures, Hicks expanded on her findings by constructing tactile items that urge viewers to reach out and touch them. "I think yearning is crucial," the artist has stated, "the want to hold it in your hands, to befriend it, to discover whether it bites".

·       Metalworking:

 Artisans use various metals such as iron, steel, and tin to create a variety of items, the most famous of which are perhaps the bells, tools, kitchenware, tableware, jewelry, Armor and weapons. The metals used in different places are thought to be beneficial to one's health and are utilized for ritual or utilitarian purposes. Artisans made different instrument for doctors such as

·       Glass:

 A colonial activity brought to Latin America by the Spaniards. The manipulation of melted glass and the short time available to shape it necessitates a high level of expertise. This technique is well-known for producing tableware and other decorative items. Glassblowing is a technology that is still employed in select workshops in central Mexico. Murano Glass, which is largely used for decoration in Italy, is one of Europe's oldest artisans traditions.

Questions about the Artisans

Some question raised here like

What's the difference between a handmade and an artisanal product?

Although the phrases are currently used interchangeably in several regions of the world, artisanal products differ significantly from handicrafts. Handicrafts and artisanal products are comparable in that they can both be manufactured by hand and with the same materials. Artisans, on the other hand, have talents that have been passed down through generations in their communities and use them to make items that are both traditional and cultural expressions. Handicrafts can be taught at home or in a school setting. Handicrafts are not things made to communicate items with deep traditional or symbolic meaning, to adhere to an ideology, to express a cultural identity, or to preserve a society's legacy.

 What methods do artists use to learn their trade?

Artists gain knowledge from their families and communities. They are taught and passed down tactics, skills, and secrets from generation to generation, beginning when they are children. These artisans techniques have a profound cultural meaning for artisans because they are ever-present in the lives of these communities. Making something by hand can be viewed as a way for families to supplement their income, but it can also be viewed as a way to transmit culture and tradition.

 What are some examples of handcrafted goods?

Because there were no factories or shops nearby, artisans manufactured things that they needed for their daily activities in their villages. As a result of industrialization, most handcrafted products became decorative or unique objects that could be purchased from people outside their communities. Because these handmade artisanal goods are not mass-produced and are full of meaning, buyers have a greater appreciation for them. Here are some examples of specialized techniques:

Artisans of different countries:

Here some artisans present in the world.

Murano, Italy - Glass Blowers

                                                       Murano, a little island north of Venice, is one of the best places in the world to observe glass blowing in action. Although the island's distinctive industry has changed little since its inception in the eighth century (the art form originated in the Middle East circa 300 BC), it is still a thriving enterprise. The molten glass is drawn from the furnace through a hollow steel tube and rolled into shape on a steel surface known as a marver. Warm air is blown into the pipe, causing the glass to bubble, which is then manipulated until the required shape is attained. Throughout the year, Murano's exceptional artisans perform demonstrations.

Tibet, China – Knife Makers

                                                          Tibetan knife makers, like many other artisans around the world, struggled to keep their trade going in the twentieth century. Tibet's knife makers, however, are clinging on thanks to the Chinese government's support and the artists' persistent perseverance. Workers knead a range of materials, including copper for the blade and horns from bulls and antelopes, as well as wood and metal for the handles, in accordance with their elders' instructions. Knives are never seen without their sheaths, which protect anyone foolish enough to touch the razor-sharp blades with their fingertips. The coverings, which are made of animal hides, wood, and horn, not only protect the artisans work, but also allow them to display it in all its glory.

Fes, Morocco: Leather Tanners

                                                          Morocco's leather tanners maintain a craft that hasn't altered since the 11th century, demonstrating how traditional crafts may be preserved in an ever-modernizing world. You'd battle not to be moved by the color, and certainly stench, of the city's most famous tannery, Chouara, amidst the low-lying buildings of Fez, Morocco. The massive stone tanks placed through the area are laid out like a giant honeycomb and filled with scores of colorful liquids, some less pleasant than others, such as the cow urine vat. The artisans are wading thigh-deep through the liquids. The skins are first treated and then stained with natural colors like as saffron, henna, and cedar wood before being thrown onto the surrounding roofs to dry under the hot North African sun.

Challenges Faced By Artisans in Developing Countries

Cottage and small-scale industries have an important role in generating revenue and employment. They are an instrument for poverty alleviation. Handicrafts help to keep cultural and aesthetic traditions alive and well. This industry, however, is experiencing significant obstacles. The craftsmen are finding it exceedingly difficult to make ends meet. Some of them have even started to leave their skills." It is vital to create a long-term program to assist these artisans and to protect the national and cultural heritage that these crafts represent.

There are several underlying issues that have hastened the decline of handicrafts in emerging countries. In rural locations, poor infrastructure is a barrier for handcraft enterprises. The power supply is insufficient, making it difficult to complete products on time. Machines are damaged by frequent power outages and voltage changes. Because roads are frequently underdeveloped, craftsmen have a difficult time obtaining and transporting raw materials, which raises production expenses.

Artists frequently do not have access to proper markets. They don't have access to or contacts with raw material sources because they mostly deal with middlemen. This puts them at a disadvantage because it is necessary to be familiar with a variety of providers in order to negotiate the best price and quality. These artists have few marketing and export opportunities and connections. They lack access to international markets and must rely on local outings or exhibitions, which are in short supply.

Artisans are enslaved by middlemen in an endless circle of exploitation. They rely on middlemen to sell their items because they don't have access to markets. They do, however, pay them very little and pay them according on the quantity of pieces they make. Middlemen profit handsomely by selling the items they manufacture at exorbitant costs. They keep nearly all of the money from these sales, if not all of them. Additionally, when clients contact middlemen, craftsmen are left out of the picture. They are unable to develop a devoted consumer base and have no idea how to contact and retain them. It's difficult for them to venture out on their own because of this.

In most poor nations, there is a scarcity of adequate statistics for the artisans business. Because it is a part of the informal economy, there isn't a lot of data available. This makes it difficult for legislators to develop effective measures to protect craftspeople. As a result, promoting and revitalizing this industry is getting more difficult. In addition, the younger generation is hesitant to follow in the footsteps of their forefathers and mothers. They would rather work in factories where the labor is less hard and the money is better.

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