TANGENTSBy Ihtisham Kabir
Crafting Metal <i>at Dhamrai </i>
Sukanta and a craftsman. Photo: Ihtisham Kabir
A broken lock, a rickshaw bell, a water tap, a key - in the jumble of metallic junk, these catch my eye. A worker is carefully sifting through the pieces, mixing them in correct proportion into containers before weighing them. They will be melted and used to make intricate metal sculptures and art objects treasured by collectors worldwide. I am visiting Sukanta Banik of Dhamrai Metal Crafts, about 25km from Dhaka, on this cool Saturday morning. When a friend introduced us six years ago, I was impressed by the fine craftsmanship of Sukanta's artistic pieces: statues, animals, boats and everyday objects. With the confidence of a mature artist, he had showed me all aspects of his craft. Today, Sukanta is just as welcoming. “Feel free to look and take pictures,” he says. At 8am several craftsmen are already at work. His process for making sculptures is called Lost Wax Casting. It takes several steps. First, a wax model of the sculpture is made with fine details. This is the most time-consuming step. Once the wax model is ready, it is covered with several layers of a doashla-etel clay found in the riverbanks of Dhamrai. After the clay dries, the model is baked in an oven. The wax melts away, leaving behind a clay mould. Molten metal is poured into this mould, and, when it cools, the mould is broken to retrieve the sculpture. Finishing touches are now applied. Each piece is unique: one mould yields one sculpture. “Dhamrai has a rich history of craftmanship, going back 500 years” says Sukanta. His family is one of a handful that maintains this tradition. His ancestors have been involved with metal craft through five generations, 200 years. Starting out as traders in art objects, they eventually became artists and manufacturers. I ask Sukanta how long it takes to make a piece. “A smaller item takes two months, but a large, intricate piece such as a big statue can take up to a year,” he says. Each piece is unique, he says, and can be sold in the international market. Bronze and brass everyday items, such as glasses, plates, kolshis, bodnas, were once used heavily. Nowadays, these items are mass-manufactured from plastic and melamine, so the market for handmade metallic utility items has shrunk. The craftsmen now focus mostly on art objects. “Who are your customers?” I ask Sukanta. “Mostly overseas collectors of religious and folk icons,” he says. “I also sell to temples in Bangladesh.” Sukanta says a large export market awaits the products because, unlike mass-produced metal-craft from India, every item is unique. Yet there are hurdles. He recommends the following actions: speeding up (export) customs inspections for verifying metal crafts are not antiques; government support for metal craftsmen to attend trade fairs and exhibitions; and easing the prices of metal by increasing supply and clamping down on smuggling. Before leaving, I take a last look at his sculptures. Indeed, they could be a tasteful addition to many collections worldwide.
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