Haku Shah

On children and their creative powers "We should give children a chance to paint, draw, sculpt, sing, dance or create whatever they want, and not curb their creative instincts," Haku Shah says. "When I tell students to create anything they think is best, they get stuck because they are conditioned to obey and act accordingly."
He mentions that in some of the temple cloth paintings done by the Vaghari folk...

On children and their creative powers "We should give children a chance to paint, draw, sculpt, sing, dance or create whatever they want, and not curb their creative instincts," Haku Shah says. "When I tell students to create anything they think is best, they get stuck because they are conditioned to obey and act accordingly."
He mentions that in some of the temple cloth paintings done by the Vaghari folk painters of Gujarat, their gods are placed in the centre with minor deities, musicians, ancestors and anecdotes occupying the space around. He says, "I showed my students slides of these paintings and asked them to create something similar on someone they loved. What they created was amazing work of art."
"A child can draw a human figure - his mother or father - very early in life, but art teachers will want the child to draw the leaf. Our pattern of schooling takes away the identity of self from children. Teachers don't realize that there is so much that they have to learn from students as well.
Our courses should be so designed that children get a scope for unleashing their creative energies. They should imbibe lessons on our rich cultural heritage. Visual elements like clay figures, floral designs and pottery should form a part of school curriculum. Such inputs are vital to enhance their creativity."
Aiming to achieve this goal, Haku Shah himself holds workshops for children and art students as well. He says, "It's an holistic approach to kindle the spirit of pure creativity with an aesthetic and educational value. I present slides and shows during the workshop to make the concept clear."

A case for promoting rural/tribal art and craft and the conflict within:
"The basics of rural/tribal art and craft need to be shared by people sensitive to it. Irrespective of their origin and their roots, a group of people, concerned about the subject, can share a unified vision of preserving and enhancing the value of traditional art and craft. The problems they are facing might not be vastly different so an interaction of such nature in a global context will prove immensely useful.
Of course, the intentions should be purely art-related and not commercial. Such exchanges should not remain mere gimmicks to make money. It should be like a give and take process in which ideas are shared. The spirit, the innocence, wherein lies the beauty of tribal/rural art, must remain untouched. This, of course, is a tricky issue. Commercial and artistic interests are bound to clash, but that's a conflict within. There are no easy answers. I personally feel that money can do more harm than good. What is required is sensitivity and awareness on the subject. Money only cannot save the culture."

Globalization and the impact on rural/urban art and craft:
Despite persistent efforts, India's traditional art and craft is still not getting the attention it deserves. The outlook of the West towards it is still more curiosity oriented. The winds of globalization have not touched the traditional artisans as yet. Some say that it will spoil them.
Art has been a source of spiritual energy for our rural/tribal population over several generations. It has been an integral part of their life. It won't certainly harm them if the world knows about them and admire them. It can work the other way as we can also learn about traditional art and craft from other countries. But as I said earlier, only those, who are sensitive about them, should interact with them. Mass production of the art to meet the market demands will make it hollow and lifeless. Our forefathers had those skills, precision and sincerity of purpose. We should not lose these virtues.

The need to document the rural/tribal art and craft:
I see a greater concern for preserving the traces from the past in other countries as compared to India. Ours has been a live culture and no structured efforts have been made to institutionalize it.
Museums in India are not equipped to store the vast treasure of our culture. They can play an active role in research, documentation and interaction in this sphere. There is an unlimited scope for such kind of an activity in India. Presently, there is lack of authenticated sources to locate information on India's traditional art. For example, if someone wants to know about different pots, pillars, carts, cots or clay houses in India - all part of India's cultural milieu - it won't be easy. The government can certainly play a more active role in the entire process. I am sure, there are people willing to devote themselves to the cause, if provided with funds and infrastructure. Haku Shah passed away on 21st March 2019.