Collaboration can be magical and at Direct Create we want to weave magic. All the people who appreciate and breathe art, Direct Create is a platform for them. It is everything that a hand-producer can be and more. It is a family of true art lovers that knits them together in one unit while helping them retain and expand their individuality.
Best of Indian Arts and Crafts
The Swadesh Bazaar was an immersive experience into India’s deep cultural heritage, curated and designed by Direct Create. Thematically designed around 108 Crafts of India - a sacred number with roots in ancient mysticism - were showcased to represent each and every state of India.
Commissioned by the Reliance Foundation, an Indian philanthropic initiative driving sustainable development across India, the exhibition was initiated to encourage the craftsmanship of traditional Indian artisans, with a special focus on preserving and reviving indigenous craft traditions. The exhibition not only provided livelihoods to thousands of such artisans but also gave them an opportunity to showcase their rare works from every corner of India to a global audience.
What started with ideas jotted down on paper resulted in a completely planned-from-scratch marketplace showcasing the best of craft products and art pieces from across India.
Under Direct Create’s umbrella, curators spanned the length and breadth of India to bring in products that spoke to the language of creativity across the country – woodwork from Nagaland and Suf embroidery from Kutch; bell-metal mirrors from Kerala and pashmina Kani shawls.
A team of architects and visual merchandisers built and outfitted the space at the Trident Hotel in Udaipur, which spread across 10 pavilions. The Bazaar brought together with elegance, skill, vibrancy, richness and functionality.
The Bazaar is curated by some of the most experienced and well-known names in the field of Indian Art and Crafts. Instead of the conventional state or craft-based format for showcasing Indian crafts. The Curation team proposes to present the Swadesh Bazaar collection using an innovative retail format of Category-based Pavilions. The use of Category-based collections will offer guests a dedicated and easy to navigate Bazaar. A shopping experience that aligns with mainstream retail formats yet carries the exciting amalgamation of the enormous diversity of India’s craft traditions.
