Design 21: Social Design Network

The Skilled artisan who does not have formal education but an inherent learning through heritage is often the loser in the larger world of of Design. Unlike the west wherein hand crafted has a status of its own, craft and skilled craftspeople are part of the larger social mileu and traditionally have a space in the local culture. But that niche is slowly being eroded by industrial products & new materials at one level and the perception of skilled labour & by craftspeople who has started to exhort their offspring to leave the profession or search for new directions. While change is inevitable, but how can one nurture artisanal communities and give these nameless artisans their due.