NE Expo
The annual cultural fest, Alcheringa has an event paying homage to the place the institute is situated at. The North East Expo at Alcheringa historically has always got the least attention in terms of aesthetics as a lot of it is regulated by the state government. During my time as a senior executive at Alcheringa, we decided it was time that the NE Expo got a little more colour. With a limited budget, we decided to use only bamboo and cloth.
With its extensive use in handicrafts, construction, furniture, music and even food, bamboo is considered the cultural icon of the North East.
Assam has another artistic heritage called a 'gamcha'. Gamcha is a white and red, lightweight hand-spun cloth. It holds a cultural significance, often being associated with rural life and traditional values. Its also a symbol of hospitality, auspiciousness, tradition, practicality, and craftsmanship.
Using these traditional elements, we were able to design a stage with relevant elements and kept it well under budget.
The structure of the stage was designed with locally sourced bamboo.
The backdrop of the stage features a striking, large-scale crocheted piece. This backdrop was designed to serve as a symbol of cultural connection and the handmade art world.
The use of crochet in such a grand scale was unusual but it provided a textured, three-dimensional surface that contrasts with the smoothness of the bamboo fence behind it.
The structure for the backdrop was made with split bamboo to add some contrast with the red cloth and the green surroundings.
With sudden warnings of a storm, we quickly changed the plans of wrapping the cloth horizontally and instead hung it vertically to ensure it dried faster the next day and caused less damage to the structure of the stage as well.
The rest of the arena needed an entrance and a central element to tie the whole place together. Both were made out of the same cloth and bamboo at hand. The local bamboo artisans did an amazing job making everything in the span of just two days.
The materials we used resulted in a thoughtful and culturally resonant design.
The stage setup was simple and effective, allowing the crochet backdrop to be the focal point. The red colour chosen for the backdrop is reminiscent of the colours used in North Eastern attire.
As the arena was quite small, the performer was seated on a modest, low-rise platform, forming a connection to the ground and an intimacy with the audience.
Next project:
Paper Room
