Monday, 22 JULY 2024 | PNS | DEHRADUN
An exhibition titled “The World at our Feet” is underway since July 19 at Café Laata in the Jakhan area of Dehradun. The exhibition curated and researched by designer Lokesh Ghai celebrates the shoemakers of Dehradun and Mussoorie.
The exhibition helps the visitors discover the narratives of the leather craftspeople through photographs, text and objects. It highlights 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 craftsmen to the margins. Despite the difficult times, the shoemaking craft of Uttarakhand supports 40 major craftsmen and their extended families. The exhibition organisers state that it is important to recognise the skill of shoemaking, which once flourished in these 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 the exhibition’s curator. 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. 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.
