artnlight

I went to FabIndia last weekend and thats where I saw Coppre 1st hand for the 1st time. I had already seen their post on Archana Srinivas's RangDecor and what unforgettable imagery that was. I knew I wanted to write about them because the Coppre products were stunning and I knew they worked with the crafts people for the developement and the sustainance of the the Tambat's who created these pieces. I was told Rashmi Ranade (a product designer from Industrial Design centre, IIT Powai and Sir JJ School of Architecture) is the designer of these stunners and that she played a vital part in bringing Coppre to where it is today. Speaking to Rashmi has to be one of the highlights of this week and one of the reasons I will always thank this blog and what I attempt to do here. 

In her conversation with me Rashmi was more than a designer, she was a historian, an anthropologist, an activist, an artist and most importantly she was completely in love with Copper the metal. Had I not asked to speak to her I would not have known that Coppre was a result of her involvement with the Tambat (Copper craft) community for more than 10 years, that working on copper is hard physical labour, and therefore is primarily worked on by men and not women, that it was more a trade and not art. Though looking at the Coppre products one would't feel so. She took me through the history of the metal, its place and part in Shivaji's times and how the crafts people went out of work with the industrialisation brought by the British. And how from making armour, coins, canons for the Peshwa rulers, the Craftspeople embraced the culinary ritual needs of the Maharashtrian communities and crafted traditional products such as utensils and puja items.
Speaking about how Coppre works as an organisation, Rashmi said there was transparency and complete ownership and buy-in from all people involved with Coppre at all levels.