23 July 2008

copper workers - portraits


Here are some portraits of the artisans from Tamil Nadu whom are making the copper layer of the Sripuram temple.


As I am editing the photos, I realised I forgot to get their names ! So I'll ask Sushumna (whom accompanied me on the shoot to go back and get them.





These are "safeguarders" (going along with my safeguarding theme) of the tradition of copper work with temple making. A knowledge system which has been passed from generation to generation in the state of Tamil Nadu.


The project of the Sripuram temple has given the village and its artisans (and introduced its youngest generation to the craft) 7 years of work as each day they have tap. tap. tap. tapped sheets of copper into shape and into what has become a wonderous work.


Being with these artisans felt like the clock had been turned back two centuries.


Except for the fact that, when I had finished photographing them, they asked if they could take a photo of Sushumna and I.
"Of course!" I replied...


And they whipped out their mobile phones and zapped me back into 2008 in a jiffy.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Stunning Nat! Yasmin x