Glass-making is one of the oldest crafts in the world—the earliest evidence dates back to Mesopotamian civilization—yet it has remained relevant over millennia to artists and designers, who use the material to create objects of fragile beauty, from functional everyday objects to jewellery and artefacts. For artist and entrepreneur Reshmi Dey, the material is inherently open to new expressions.
Her Delhi-based studio Glass Sutra holds workshops for glass enthusiasts, hosts visiting artists and serves as an incubation hub for artisans and multidisciplinary design. In her new line, described as a functional art collection, Dey is introducing a new style to her crafts.
Glass-making is one of the oldest crafts in the world—the earliest evidence dates back to Mesopotamian civilization—yet it has remained relevant over millennia to artists and designers, who use the material to create objects of fragile beauty, from functional everyday objects to jewellery and artefacts. For artist and entrepreneur Reshmi Dey, the material is inherently open to new expressions.
Her Delhi-based studio Glass Sutra holds workshops for glass enthusiasts, hosts visiting artists and serves as an incubation hub for artisans and multidisciplinary design. In her new line, described as a functional art collection, Dey is introducing a new style to her crafts.
The collection Ashtori takes its inspiration from textiles, particularly the weaving traditions of the North-East. “I had been wanting to do glass and textiles together for a long time, and wanted to push my creative boundaries and see how people react,” she says. “We found common (textile) motifs among all the states, and predominant colours.” The result is a capsule collection of lighting installations, décor pieces and jewellery with textiles woven into the glass using yarns of Eri, the non-violent silk used across the region, and Ghisa silk, produced from Eri and Muga waste, and motifs that replicate the geometrical patterns seen on the traditional fabrics.
The artist, who grew up in Assam’s Tinsukia district, tied up with the North East Network, a social enterprise based in Guwahati that works with the Chizami weavers of Nagaland’s Phek district, and brought a group of women artisans from the region to collaborate on the collection in Delhi. “It was their first time in the Capital, and also their maiden tryst with glass-making,” she says. “They traditionally do loin-loom weaving and were amazed with the possibilities.” Dey, who debuted the collection in February, aims to donate about 25% of the collection’s sales proceeds to the artisans.
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