Sanskriti Museums - The Vision

The Museums of Everyday Art, Indian Terracotta and Textiles are a conduit for the preservation
and presentation of indigenous heritage, craftsmanship, aesthetic functionality and cultural
practices.
Tradition and modernity are not two separate categories - one transmutes into another. The
preservation of cultural heritage, therefore, has its own validity. The museums at Sanskriti are a
base for such preservation as great attention has been given to the socio-cultural context of the
objects. Our vision is to build upon our collections and to transform our museums into a central
resource hub for all research on the art and craft traditions of India in general, and particularly
in our core areas of terracotta, textiles and everyday objects. We would also wish to use the
time to simultaneously review our interpretive approach to our collections, taking into account
the multiple and changing perspectives within museology and museum studies, using it to
inform and further enrich our own understanding of our collections, and then share it with our
visitors.
However, museums the world over are also widening their scope from mere repositories and
generators of knowledge, into dynamic learning centres striving to be perceived as active agents
of cultural values. Thus Sanskriti Museums and their spaces also play a proactive role in


dissemination of information and creation of awareness amongst children, students, artists,
scholars, designers and the interested public.

Sanskriti Museum of Indian Textiles
The genesis of the Sanskriti Museum of Indian Textiles is rooted in what started as a small
private collection built over the last three decades by Shri O.P. Jain, the founder president
of Sanskriti Pratishthan. Prof. Jyotindra Jain then joined him in conceptualizing and
curating the exhibits in the Museum galleries. The unique feature of this collection is that it
stems from one individuals aesthetic and cultural vision, which makes it a harmonious,
unified whole.
As the collection grew, the idea of turning it into a museum began to develop. There are
several museums and collections of Indian textiles in India and abroad which may be more
comprehensive and of greater historical value. The Sanskriti Museum of Indian Textiles
does not compete with these but endeavours to complement them.
The Sanskriti Museum of Indian Textiles was inaugurated on January 4, 2009 by the Hon.
Chief Minister of Delhi Mrs. Sheila Dikshit.
The Museum intends to serve as a resource for the study of Indian textile traditions. It
moves away from the masterpiece culture as much as from creating an exhaustive
inventory of textile genres, as is often the case with many museums of the kind. Its
objective is to display representative examples of selected traditions of Indian textiles, and
to create a pool of information around these that will eventually serve as an academic
resource for study and research.

Activities

Museum Updates and Past Activities
Besides being important reservoirs of cultural heritage of India, the three museums also
act as hub for various activities such as childrens workshops, guided tours, craft
demonstrations, lectures and seminars and as reference for visiting artists to create their
own work.
Guided Tours and Talks for group visits are offered, from brief overviews to more in-depth
discussions on particular aspects of the collection.

Similarly workshops and lectures around museum collections and objectives can be
organized after prior formalization.
Some of our past activities are as follows:
1. Teachers training workshop to inculcate museum as a tool for education.
2. Design Development Workshop
In keeping with the Foundation objectives, Sanskriti organized a design and
development workshop with artisans, who were guided to develop new products
that would resonate with the three Museums, based on traditional crafts. The idea
was to do a concept development exercise based on the three Museums, so that the
final product reflected the context. The process included deriving shapes, applying
motif and exploring combination of materials. The project was sponsored by the
Office of the Development Commissioner (Handicraft), Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of
India.
3. International Museum Day Celebration on 18th May, 2013
On the eve of International Museum Day two-days art and craft workshops in
collaboration with Aga Khan Trust for Culture and UdyamPrayas were conducted on
17th & 18th May, 2013, based on the IMD 2013 theme, (Museums (Memory +
Creativity) = Social Change) around the Museum Collection. The children were
taught the art of Block Printing, Madhubani Painting, Crochet (Quasidakari), Water-
colour Painting, etc in an effort to provide them a creative understanding and an
experts guidance in learning selected art forms. In which around 200 children from
MehrauliRamanujan, S.K.V ,Navyug School, NizamuddinBasti and UdyamPrayas
took part in these workshops.
4. Various Craft demonstration by
SundariBai: Sarguja Clay relief work, Chhasttishgarh
JagdishPandit -Terracotta & Clay work, Darbhanga-Bihar
JamunaLal - Molela Terracotta, Rajasthan
VithalBhai&MithaBhai - Poshina, Gujrat

Museum Visits
1. Museum Visit by the students of Chicago school of Art on 21st January, 2013.
2. Rabley Drawing School Group visited to Sanskriti Museums on 6th February.
3. Participants of UnBox Festival Group came for special guided tour of Sanskriti
Museums on 6th February, 2013 and took part in a workshop.
4. Students from Upland School, USA visited Sanskriti Kendra on 29th March, 2013.
5. Students from University of Wyoming visited Sanskriti Kendra during 15th -21st
May.
Artists studios
Accommodation for International Residencies
During your stay at Sanskriti you will be housed in the studio buildings, giving you full access to
your workshop and studio space at all times, catering for whatever work regime you set for
yourself.
Sanskriti Kendra provides three types of accommodation:

4 Studios - Type I
Living Space Mezzanine 125 sqft
Work Space 415 sq ft
4 Studios-Type II
Living Space 270 sqft
Work Space 370sq ft
All eight studios are double-storeyed
apartments. A staircase leads up from
the studio to the mezzanine to a
comfortable bedroom and bathroom.
All studios open into a courtyard.
These are available for individual artist
residents.



4 Dormitories Type III
Space - a 600 sq ft
b 400 sq ft
There are four ground floor general
studios. All open into a courtyard.
The dormitories have a boarding
capacity of 4 to 5 adults.

All studios are equipped with worktables, work counters, easels, storage space and
kitchenettes.
All studios have attached bathrooms with clean linen and towels.
Laundry services are available against payment. Dry cleaning can be arranged if requested.
The tariff for accommodation includes the rental, meals and use ofall facilities, including free
participation in all the many cultural, artistic events and activities that take place at the Kendra.





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Ceramic Centre

The Sanskriti - Delhi Blue Ceramic Centre the only one of its kind in India-plays host to diverse ceramic
activities and interactions, both national and international. The programmes offered include residencies,


classes and interactive workshops for ceramicists, talks, slide shows, firings and demonstrations.
Regular beginners classes consist of a basic three-month course, teaching clay preparation,
centering, wheel throwing, and making simple shapes.
Special summer classes (particularly for children) are organized every year between May and
July.
Interactive workshops for potters and students of pottery conducted by Indian and international
ceramists.
Lectures and demonstrations by renowned national and international potters are held regularly.
Visitors and visiting out-station potters can work on a daily basis at the Ceramic Centre.
Firing facilities are available throughout the year, along with assistance in firing.
Residencies during summer and winter, are organized via the Delhi Blue Pottery Trust.
In addition, pottery tours and walks can be conducted for visitors. Options include the Sanskriti
Terracotta Museum, the Crafts Museum, and visits to potters villages, public and private studios.

Facilities at the Ceramic Centre
The Ceramic Centre is well-equipped with the following types of wheels and furnaces:
9 Kick wheels
2 Painters wheels
5 Electric wheel
1 Pug wheel
1 Wood kiln
2 Gas kiln
1 Testing electric kiln







Enamel Centre

The centre is run by Sanskriti in collaboration with the Enamellist Society of India. This well-equipped
Enamel Centre is set up for the purpose of promoting the art and craft of metal enamelling amongst
craftsmen, artists, hobbyists, professionals, etc. By imparting training in the most up-to-date techniques


the Enamel Centre is helping reinvent the use of enamel. It currently offers the following courses:
For Beginners: 4 Classes
Vitreous enamelling on copper.
The course will cover working with transparent flux and other industrial colours, wet application,
powder dusting and stenciling. Students will go back with at least 8 pieces of 4squares.
Course No. 2: 4 Classes
In addition to the basic techniques cloisonn will be taught. The design is outlined by bending strips of
wire to make a shape and fused to the metal piece. The space within the framework is filled with enamel.
Course No. 3: 4 Classes
Jewellery making and enamelling on copper and silver.
The course includes making, cutting jewellery pieces from metal and enamelling them.
One-Day Workshop on Enamelling
Exposure to the art of enamelling through a days workshop for a tourist group, students, NGOs and
corporate houses.

Students can register for BENCH TIME and use the studio for 4 hours a day and practise under
supervision after taking the above set of 12 classes. When the students feel they are ready for more
advanced techniques, courses will be organized in the techniques of Texturing, Metal Forming,
Champlev, Basse Taille, Repousse, etc.

Accommodation
During your stay at Sanskriti you will be housed in the studio buildings, giving you full
access to your workshop and studio space at all times, catering for whatever work regime
you set for yourself.

Sanskriti Kendra provides three types of accommodation:

4 Studios - Type I
Living Space Mezzanine 125 sqft
Work Space 415 sq ft
4 Studios-Type II


Living Space 270 sqft
Work Space 370sq ft
All eight studios are double-storeyed apartments. A
staircase leads up from the studio to the mezzanine to a
comfortable bedroom and bathroom. All studios open into a
courtyard.
These are available for individual artist residents.

4 Dormitories Type III
Space - a 600 sq ft
b 400 sq ft
There are four ground floor general studios. All open into a
courtyard.
The dormitories have a boarding capacity of 4 to 5 adults.

All studios are equipped with worktables, work counters, easels, storage space and
kitchenettes.
All studios have attached bathrooms with clean linen and towels.
Laundry services are available against payment. Dry cleaning can be arranged if
requested.
The tariff for accommodation includes the rental, meals and use ofall facilities, including
free participation in all the many cultural, artistic events and activities that take place at the
Kendra.

Take a Virtual Tour...


Computer and Internet
Basic computer and Internet facilities are available on the
campus. But no international calls or fax facilities are
available.


Medical Care
A First Aid kit is available in the office. In case of an
emergency, you can request for medical help to be
summoned. Residents mustpay for their own medical bills.
Residents will be responsible for obtaining their own health
/ medical, accident or other insurance that may be
necessary.


Dining
Residents are provided three meals per day as well as
tea/coffeetwice a day. Sanskriti provides an excellent range
of simple, nutritious Indian vegetarian meals. If informed in
advance, efforts will be made to accommodate special
dietary requests.


Exhibition Halls and Gallery Spaces
Sanskriti has two gallery spaces, which can be used for
various exhibitions.
Art Gallery I:900 sq ft
Art Gallery II:800 sq ft


Library / Research Centre
Sanskriti Kendra has a highly specialized reference library
housing around 2000 books on art, culture, museums,
Indian traditions of textiles, handicrafts and Indian
terracottas, etc.
Visitors, researchers, artists and students are welcome to
use the material.


Amphitheatre
It accommodates approximately 200-250 audiences.The
theatre has a large circular stage with a beautiful backdrop
of an 18th century carved stone Jharoka. It is suitable for
group or solo dance/music performances as well as skits
and childrens plays. Eminent artists such as Madhavi
Mudgal, Malavika Sarukkai, Kumar Mardur, etc. have
performed.Theatre personalities like Faizal Alkazi have
directed plays for children.


Multi-Purpose Hall
Dimensions 1000 sq ft
The multi-purpose hall and the art gallery are so designed
that both spaces can be turned into one unified large space
or used simultaneously as two separate spatial units,
depending on the requirement of a particular event hosted
there. The multi-purpose hall is equipped with state-of-the-
art audio-visual facilities and can lend itself well to

workshops, conferences, meetings, lectures, film-shows,
etc. The general as well as the specialized lighting system
and fixtures make the space an ideal art gallery.The Multi-
Purpose Hall has a seating capacity of up to 100 people.

Local Transport
Local bus or the Metro provides adirect link to the City. Our
nearest metro station is Arjangarh metro station on the
yellow line.
Taxi: If required residents may arrange for transport to
Delhi via local taxi or Radio Taxi service.
Airport pick-up can be arranged on prior notice and will be
charged on actuals.


Sanskriti Kendra Anandgram, Delhi

The Kendra
accommodates
a varied range
of activities
connected with
art and culture
both in
traditional and
the
contemporary
sense. It is
spread over 3
hectares on the
foothills of the
Aravalli range.


SALIENT FEATURES
Developments on the site are basically organic. The
natural features on site the rainwater channel that ran
down the center and the existing clump of trees were the
major structuring elements of the layout plan. A basic
movement pattern together with the entry points was
defined with activity zoning to regulate the location of
buildings and other structures according to function. This
explains the absence of an articulated complex.
The buildings are semi-rustic
in appearance and very
scaled down in proportions.
They have been sited in a
manner as to leave plenty of
breathing and strolling space
between them, but not so far
apart as to create a sense of
cold isolation.
Although generously
proportioned windows possibly
admit a lot of sunlight, the
orientation of all the buildings
has been planned so as to
have minimal dependence on
cooling systems.


The rich earthen colour incorporated in
a cement paint coating, applied to
coarse-surfaced cement, is redolent of
unspoilt natural landscapes and the
ubiquitous, mud-plastered Indian village.
Landscape a judicious mix of formality
and informality both in plant and hard
landscape characterizes the Kendra.
Geometric forms, pavements, paths and
hedges intersperse the lawns, vans, the
nahar and meandering paths.
APPROX. COST: 30lacs