While Kashmir Valley is counted among the most creative regions of the world,&nbsp;women artisans from the valley have not been appreciated as much as their male counterparts. For the first time, a group of women has&nbsp;decided to publicly recognise the female artisans of the Kashmir Valley.&nbsp;

A group called 'Fearless Collective' has collaborated with the local artist Zoya Khan, an architect by profession, to lead this project in the Kashmir Valley. Zoya has started painting a four-storey building in the heart of Srinagar to celebrate and appreciate the women artisans of the Kashmir Valley. The mural being made by these artists is of the female artisans who work with crafts like namda, sozni, pashmina, silk and copperware.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/indian-supreme-court-orders-authorities-to-ensure-no-hate-speech-happens-at-protests-against-nuh-violence-621673">Indian Supreme Court orders authorities to ensure no hate speech happens at protests against Nuh violence</a>

''It's for the first time in Kashmir Valley that women artisans are being appreciated. As you can see, the mural has Kashmiri women artisans making namda, copperware and sozni embroidery and pashmina. Our motive was to send across a message by making this mural on a four-storey building so that people know about the history of our crafts and also focus on Kashmiri craft getting more recognition, '' said Zoya Khan, architect and artisan.&nbsp;

The group has worked across various countries in the world, and it is for the first time that it is working in the Kashmir Valley.&nbsp;Zoya is training other local artists who will&nbsp;be taking forward this project. The group of these women say that it's very important to represent women karigars (artisans) of Kashmir by this art intervention in a public space. The female artisans in the valley have never been at the forefront and been a silent force for making sure the craft survives.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/india-a-darling-of-west-says-pak-minister-hina-rabbani-khar-mocks-ties-with-us-621507">‘India a darling of West’, says Pak minister Hina Rabbani Khar, mocks ties with US</a>

''The work of the fearless collective is to turn up public spaces across the world and work with the local communities to create these huge monuments. While we have worked in over 15 countries and painted over 50 walls with 100's of different community members including indigenous communities in Brazil, refugees in Beirut, domestic workers from Syria and this is of course the first time ever that we have worked in Kashmir and we are working with a Kashmiri artist Zoya khan who is leading this project,'' said Shilo Shiv Sulaiman, founder, Fearless Collective.&nbsp;

"We are working with the women artisans of Kashmir, and we have given them the dignity as the creators of Kashmir. Very often we think about the outstanding craft and the hands that are making them. We wanted to honour those hands,'' she added.&nbsp;

These women in the future want to create many such places where the work of the women artisans of the Kashmir Valley can be put out-front for the public to see.

&nbsp;

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While Kashmir Valley is counted among the most creative regions of the world, women artisans from the valley have not been appreciated as much as their male counterparts.

While Kashmir Valley is counted among the most creative regions of the world, women artisans from the valley have not been appreciated as much as their male counterparts. For the first time, a group of women has decided to publicly recognise the female artisans of the Kashmir Valley. A group called 'Fearless Collective' has collaborated with the local artist Zoya Khan, an architect by profession, to lead this project in the Kashmir Valley. Zoya has started painting a four-storey building in the heart of Srinagar to celebrate and appreciate the women artisans of the Kashmir Valley. The mural being made by these artists is of the female artisans who work with crafts like namda, sozni, pashmina, silk and copperware. Also read | Indian Supreme Court orders authorities to ensure no hate speech happens at protests against Nuh violence ''It's for the first time in Kashmir Valley that women artisans are being appreciated. As you can see, the mural has Kashmiri women artisans making namda, copperware and sozni embroidery and pashmina. Our motive was to send across a message by making this mural on a four-storey building so that people know about the history of our crafts and also focus on Kashmiri craft getting more recognition, '' said Zoya Khan, architect and artisan. The group has worked across various countries in the world, and it is for the first time that it is working in the Kashmir Valley. Zoya is training other local artists who will be taking forward this project. The group of these women say that it's very important to represent women karigars (artisans) of Kashmir by this art intervention in a public space. The female artisans in the valley have never been at the forefront and been a silent force for making sure the craft survives. Also read | ‘India a darling of West’, says Pak minister Hina Rabbani Khar, mocks ties with US ''The work of the fearless collective is to turn up public spaces across the world and work with the local communities to create these huge monuments. While we have worked in over 15 countries and painted over 50 walls with 100's of different community members including indigenous communities in Brazil, refugees in Beirut, domestic workers from Syria and this is of course the first time ever that we have worked in Kashmir and we are working with a Kashmiri artist Zoya khan who is leading this project,'' said Shilo Shiv Sulaiman, founder, Fearless Collective. "We are working with the women artisans of Kashmir, and we have given them the dignity as the creators of Kashmir. Very often we think about the outstanding craft and the hands that are making them. We wanted to honour those hands,'' she added. These women in the future want to create many such places where the work of the women artisans of the Kashmir Valley can be put out-front for the public to see. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kashmir's women artisans get long-overdue recognition through murals

The Kashmiri copperware craft industry has been gasping for survival. Machine-made copperware products have taken over the markets. The artisans associated with the craft are trying to keep the art alive and one such artisan, Mohammad Aslam Bhat has taken it upon himself to give a new shape to the industry so that it survives forever.&nbsp;

With new designs, techniques and the introduction of unique products, Mohammad Aslam Bhat is trying to revive the craft of copperware in the Kashmir Valley. He was recently awarded by the state government for his unique ideas and innovation in the craft. Every morning, Bhat comes to his shop in the old downtown area of Srinagar to create unique copperware products which not only the locals but tourists coming from across the world like and buy.&nbsp;

''The number of artisans is coming down with every passing day, and the main reason is the machine-made products. The artisans were finding it difficult, but I have introduced some unique ideas and products which no machine would be able to make. And by God's grace, my work is going on. I want the other artisans to also innovate. This art should never die, and we must keep working on saving the craft. The government has to help as well. It's a craft going on for centuries. Copperware was my family business and I saw the machine products taking over. I studied the market and saw what buyers are wanting and that's how I started making products which were never made like showpieces and jewellery. Due to the award, a lot of people associated with the craft got encouraged too, '' said Mohammad Aslam Bhat, copperware artisan. &nbsp;

Copperware is a must-have in every Kashmir home. Earlier it was only traditional utensils made of copper used in the Kashmiri homes and now it's the decorative pieces from vases to lamp shades to phone holders to earrings and many other accessories. The process of making these products involves many artisans, which starts with moulding the raw material into various shapes followed by hand carving these products. It takes these artisans days to make a single product by hand.&nbsp;

The demand for these handmade copperware products has increased after these new designs and innovations.

''People always want something new and unique. One of the reasons I see a lot of people coming to my store is that what I sell, they won't be able to get it anywhere in the world. That is why I want other people associated with the art to innovate so that we can save this craft industry. The tourists see these products, and no one leaves the store without buying anything. And I have made sure to keep the Kashmir tradition alive in it, I have used all the Kashmiri motifs so that when people see my products, they should know it's from Kashmir. The kids today have the internet, and they can make whatever designs they want to. I do teach kids here and there is a lot of scope for this art, '' said Mohammad Aslam Bhat, copperware artisan. &nbsp;

The Kashmir's copperware artisan's association has called for a ban on machine-made products and sought government intervention to save the centuries-old craft of the Kashmir Valley.&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

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The Kashmiri copperware craft industry has been gasping for survival. Machine-made copperware products have taken over the markets. The artisans associated with the craft are trying to keep the art alive and one such artisan, Mohammad Aslam Bhat has taken it upon himself to give a new shape to the industry so that it survives forever.

The Kashmiri copperware craft industry has been gasping for survival. Machine-made copperware products have taken over the markets. The artisans associated with the craft are trying to keep the art alive and one such artisan, Mohammad Aslam Bhat has taken it upon himself to give a new shape to the industry so that it survives forever. With new designs, techniques and the introduction of unique products, Mohammad Aslam Bhat is trying to revive the craft of copperware in the Kashmir Valley. He was recently awarded by the state government for his unique ideas and innovation in the craft. Every morning, Bhat comes to his shop in the old downtown area of Srinagar to create unique copperware products which not only the locals but tourists coming from across the world like and buy. ''The number of artisans is coming down with every passing day, and the main reason is the machine-made products. The artisans were finding it difficult, but I have introduced some unique ideas and products which no machine would be able to make. And by God's grace, my work is going on. I want the other artisans to also innovate. This art should never die, and we must keep working on saving the craft. The government has to help as well. It's a craft going on for centuries. Copperware was my family business and I saw the machine products taking over. I studied the market and saw what buyers are wanting and that's how I started making products which were never made like showpieces and jewellery. Due to the award, a lot of people associated with the craft got encouraged too, '' said Mohammad Aslam Bhat, copperware artisan. Copperware is a must-have in every Kashmir home. Earlier it was only traditional utensils made of copper used in the Kashmiri homes and now it's the decorative pieces from vases to lamp shades to phone holders to earrings and many other accessories. The process of making these products involves many artisans, which starts with moulding the raw material into various shapes followed by hand carving these products. It takes these artisans days to make a single product by hand. The demand for these handmade copperware products has increased after these new designs and innovations. ''People always want something new and unique. One of the reasons I see a lot of people coming to my store is that what I sell, they won't be able to get it anywhere in the world. That is why I want other people associated with the art to innovate so that we can save this craft industry. The tourists see these products, and no one leaves the store without buying anything. And I have made sure to keep the Kashmir tradition alive in it, I have used all the Kashmiri motifs so that when people see my products, they should know it's from Kashmir. The kids today have the internet, and they can make whatever designs they want to. I do teach kids here and there is a lot of scope for this art, '' said Mohammad Aslam Bhat, copperware artisan. The Kashmir's copperware artisan's association has called for a ban on machine-made products and sought government intervention to save the centuries-old craft of the Kashmir Valley. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Kashmiri copperware artisan takes it upon himself to save a dying art

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