By Our Staff Reporter
DEHRADUN, 20 July: An exhibition titled “The World at our Feet” has opened since 19th July at Café Laata, Jakhan. The exhibition celebrates the shoemakers of Dehradun and Mussoorie. The exhibition has been curated and researched by designer Lokesh Ghai.
The exhibition helps us discover the narratives of the leather craftspeople through photographs, text and objects. Highlighted here are the personal narratives of the master shoemakers and designs specific to the hill regions. Given the caste stigma attached to shoemaking, the exhibition also questions the future of this Heritage craft.
Shoemaking was once a flourishing trade in Dehradun and Mussoorie, given the large numbers of military and civil institutions. However, with the advent of mass-produced branded shoes in the market, clients have dwindled, and business is dull. Government apathy has further pushed the craftspeople to the margins. Despite the difficult times, the shoe making craft of Uttarakhand supports 40 major craftspeople and their extended families. It is important to recognise the skill of shoemaking, which once flourished in towns, so that custom made shoes regain their market.
This exhibition has been curated with the intention of bringing more and more youth to the art and craft of custom-made shoes. The exhibition follows an interesting storytelling format and displays portraits of master shoemakers of Dehradun and Mussoorie.
The exhibition was inaugurated at Cafe Laata, with several shoemakers from Dehradun and Mussoorie participating in a conversation with Lokesh Ghai, the curator of the exhibition. Most craftsmen expressed the view that the next generation will not take up the craft unless urgent steps are taken in order to conserve it. Many visitors put forth their queries about the craft to the shshoemakers.
Lokesh Ghai is the Project Coordinator of this Foundation Project implemented by India Foundation for the Arts under its Arts Research programme. The exhibition is on view till July 27.
