Welsh animation studio Winding Snake Productions have travelled to India to set up pop-up animation studios in Delhi and Jaipur, where the team will ask local people to share their rangoli skills in exchange for animation skills.
This is part of a wider project, Rangoli: art that binds. Rangoli is the art form that creates patterns on floors using materials such as coloured sand, rice and petals. Through a series of workshops in Wales and India, the Winding Snake team want to learn about rangoli and associated art forms mandana and kolam and share some of their own 2D animation skills in return.
Amy Morris, Winding Snake Productions managing director, said, “ I have always admired rangoli, growing up in the UK with an Indian grandmother, I remember being fascinated by the patterns and designs made at Diwali, and during a previous trip to India, I spoke with many, who stated that rangoli is not art, I disagree. I think that the skill and creativity it takes to create rangoli should be celebrated.”
After their trip, the team will produce a short 2D animated film celebrating the skills and knowledge of rangoli. In addition they will visit schools, universities and Girlguiding groups in India and Wales to share their experiences.
Rebecca Gould, head of arts at British Council Wales, said: “Rangoli: art that binds is a project about friendship; between art and culture, between international artists and international arts organisations and a friendship between India and Wales that brings people in both countries together to share something beautiful.”
The team are also collecting stories from India, Wales and all over the world about how art and creativity has brought people together and forged or strengthened relationships. These stories will be featured on the project website – artthatbinds.org. If you’d like to share your story please contact Jenny@WindingSnake.com
Rangoli: art that binds is funded by Wales Arts International, British Council Wales, First Campus and Ffilm Cymru Wales as part of India Wales, a major season of artistic collaboration between the two countries to mark the UK-India Year of Culture and has been developed by Amy Morris for Winding Snake Productions.
To learn more about the project please visit artthatbinds.org. The site is available in English, Welsh and Hindi.