YOUR GOLDEN HANDS is derived from a Kashmiri expression ‘Cha shie sone athe’ or ‘You have golden hands’ said to artisans about their splendid handcraft skills. For centuries artisans from traditional textile communities throughout India have worked in collaboration with each other to produce handcrafted textiles. In northern India, artisans from the Kashmir shawl community each have a specific skill in the creation of an exquisite embroidered pashmina shawl.
The shawls and scarves seen here are pieces that were developed in three co-design projects involving participants from Australia and artisans from Kashmir. The finished pieces are beautiful but the emphasis of the projects was on building relationships, storytelling, designing and making within the context of the artisans’ cultural heritage.
Through these completed projects strategies have been developed so that artisans from the Kashmir shawl community can continue to work directly with their customers in a transparent and sustainable way. For future co-design projects YOUR GOLDEN HANDS is a not-for-profit platform where you too can be involved in this journey.
Shawl embroidered by Majid Ganie
hand woven pashmina, 100x200cm, completed in2021
Shawl embroidered by Majid Ganie
hand woven pashmina, 100x200cm, completed in 2021
Shawl embroidered by Majid Ganie
hand woven pashmina, 100x200cm, completed in 2021
Just for You documents two intercultural co-design projects that took place between 2019 and 2021. As the projects’ participants lived in Australia and India communication via digital means was essential for the projects to proceed particularly as the projects took place during the COVID pandemic. The use of digital platforms like WhatsApp and Zoom allowed the participants to share their stories, form relationships and develop ideas about the shawl designs. However communicating material techniques through the use of digital devices did have challenges as shown in the video.
Shawl embroidered by Rashid Dar
hand woven pashmina, 100x200cm, completed in 2021
Shawl embroidered by Rashid Dar
hand woven pashmina, 100x200cm, completed in 2021
Artisanal textile processes embody the ethos of ‘slow fashion,’ the artisans apply their craft with patience and skill. In A Slow Fashion Story we visit the home of pashmina shawl embroiderer Majid. Like many artisans Majid, and other members of his family work at home embroidering for many hours each day. The focus of the story is on the artisans’ process as they sit quietly concentrating on the printed design on the shawl that is used as a guide for their embroidery. Sitting together Majid and Rashid embroider the two shawls with designs and colours shared by their Australian co-designers.
Natural dyed pashmina scarves
indigo and sappan wood dyes, hand woven, 70x225cm, 2022
Natural dyed pashmina scarves
sappan wood dye and undyed natural, hand woven, 70x 225cm, 2022
The use of natural dyes in textile creation is now a popular trend followed by a global audience seeking products that are environmentally sustainable. #naturaldye #naturaldyedpashmina documents a third co-design project about the re-introduction of natural dyes for pashmina dyeing into the Kashmir shawl community where currently synthetic dyes are used. The techniques are not fully resolved but the artisans involved were enthusiastic about the project. They saw how use of natural dyes reduced the impact on their natural environment, while purchases by customers attracted to natural dyed pashmina products could benefit their economic and cultural sustainability.
Natural indigo hand embroidered scarf
hand woven pashmina, 70x22cm, 2022
Natural indigo hand embroidered scarves
hand woven pashmina, 70x22cm, 2022
Natural indigo hand embroidered scarf
hand woven pashmina, 70x225cm, 2022
Perspectives on value will vary when co-designing with intercultural participants. While differences in cultural and material values are to be expected subjective viewpoints of individual co-designers about their experiences also relate to their value systems. Perspectives records some of the participants thoughts about value.