Paper Cutting Art

Indian Traditional Paper Cutting Art
Devasthanakala Sanjhi
Presented through original paper-cutting art-works of
Ustad Kalakar Prabal Pramanik

For hundreds of years this peculiar art persisted and flourished mainly in the community of the Vaishnavs. Ustads, or Masters plied scissors and sharp cuttimg blades creating amazing art-works to decorate temples, nat-mandirs and kirtan sabhas at the time Vaishav Festivals such as Rasa, Holi, Janmashtami and Jhulan.
The speciality of this art that produced superb creations was that the paper cutting were made without any previous sketching or tracing. At Mathura, Vrindavan, Bengal and Orissa, where Vaishnav communities lived enriched Indian culture with Radha Krishna lore in visual and performing arts, this rare art manifested itself in different schools depicting silhouette and stencil forms. It is interesting to note that the Ustads of yore not only depcited Radha Krishna Lila but also scenes from the daily life at their time. There cut-outs were used for interior and structural decoration and were also used to impart graphic impressions on walls. In the olden days experimentations were made not only in composition but also in modes of applying the paper cutting to impart impressions. Perhaps the most unique way in which these paper cutting were sometimes used was for the impression on water. A large vessel was filled with water and then a paper cutting was carefully placed on the surface of it. Then it was covered with powdered pigment called abir, and the paper cutting was removed very carefully so the picture was stencilled on the surface of water. The effect, though transitory, was entirely other worldly.
Some Muslim artists too practiced this art, although in different thematic forms. It should be noted that there is great difference between the aesthetic depth of the smooth flowing masterly work generally used for Vaishnav Temple decoration and the cruder paper cutting that were produced and are still produced as cheap decorative craft. Just any paper-cutting produced in India is not Devasthanakala or Sanjhi. The classical philosophy behind Devasthanakala or Sanjhi art has given a classical outlook to this form of art which is folk-oriented too.
The forms cutout in Devasthanakala, or Sanjhi Art are produced in very short time but it requires many years of patience and practice to attain the skill of cutting out complete balanced compositions without the aid of drawings. Paper cutting and paper folding is found in many other countries but the Indian art of Devasthanakala or Sanjhi is distinct in technique and structural form.
Firm control over tool is necessary to give concretised expression to the thoughts of the artist, and this skill is a must for very form of art. As complete and complicated compositions are cut out without any previous drawings or tracing in Devasthanakala a very well developed visual imagery is a must for the person practicing this art. To develop sharp visual imagery certain yogic exercises are very helpful. For the "inner-cuttings", originally "naroon" or the sharp instrument often used for cutting nails in India was used.
For the sake of convenience I use disposable cutting blades myself. The cutting strokes are surehanded and unhesitating. I never copy from any picture when creating the paper cuttins. Copy-work not only deprived the artist of spontaneous joy of creation but also limits his skill by severly damaging theco-ordination between his imagination and its concretised form. Only superb neuro-muscular co-ordination, sense of balance, sense of composition, knowledge of structural anatomy and proprotion enable the "Ustad" or master to uplift his work to a level of high artistry. I myself have made many experimentation in composition using the basic traditional techniques and have proved through my work that this medium of art is just as flexible as water-colour, oil or tempera in its diversity and rhythm.

from "Devasthanakala Sanjhi, Indian Art of Paper Cutting"
by Ustad Kalakar Prabal Pramanik

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