Painting Stories: Lives and Legacies from an Indian Crafts Village

By Helle Bundgaard

Book Overview

Painting Stories explores the accomplishments, struggles, and livelihoods of traditional artisans in Raghurajpur, a village known for its patta chitra painters. In this collection, Helle Bundgaard weaves thirty years of observations and experiences into a tapestry of stories, which together present a poignant image of the lives of Indian craft makers and their personal connections to the art that they create.

The painters' stories are situated in a rich cultural environment and steeped in social relations. For them, painting is more than a livelihood or an aesthetic expression - it is a way of life.

Painting Stories is a window into a part of our world rarely seen, reminding us of both our rich diversity and our shared humanity. Written with the painters, students, and laypersons in mind, the book includes a discussion of ethnographic storytelling and resources for ethnographic writing, as well as color photographs that bring the stories to life.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1487527330
• ISBN13: 9781487527334
• Release Date: December 2021
• Publisher: University of Toronto Press
• Length: 208 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.0" x 8.9"