Promotion and marketing of lacquer art

Monday, 9 June 2014 00:00 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

Lacquer Art and Lacquer Ware is an item that is in high demand all over the world. Sri Lanka’s Lacquer artists are renowned for their quality workmanship and the innovative products they produce. At present production in this field is insufficient to meet local demand. The main reason for the decline of this once thriving artform is that the artists creating works of art do not receive sufficient a remuneration. The money is made by intermediaries involved in marketing.

Recently during the presentation of awards to crafts persons by the President, Mahinda Rajapaksa mentioned that in Angulmaduwa in Beliatta is where the art of Lacquer originally excited before spreading to the other part of the island. However, he repented the fact that this industry is extinct in the area today because of the afore mention reasons. He requested the Chairman of the National Crafts Council Deshabandu Dr. Buddhi Keerthisena to make efforts towards the revival of the art of Lacquer at Angulmaduwa and arrange for its marketing in a manner that will sustain livelihoods of crafts persons involved.

In pursuance of this appeal the National Crafts Council under the purview of the Ministry of Traditional Industries and Small Enterprise Development initiated action. Today, in a just a month’s time, at the Angulmaduwa community centre in Pahala Beliatta 30 persons are

undergoing training for the revival of this art under the supervision of Ananda Jayasinghe, Assistant Director the in charge of training. The Course duration is one year. After which Angulmaduwa will revert to its original glory of producing the art of Lacquer because the villagers are enthusiastic about the revival of this art form once again in a village from which it originated and spread to the rest of the island. Soon the products made at Angulmaduwa will grace crafts shops though out the Island. The original decline of this industry in the area was due to the fact that the artisans engaged in producing Lacquer Ware did not receive an income commensurate with their labour. The National Crafts Council has made arrangements for the marketing of the products and has assured the crafts persons being trained that in future they will receive an income that will sustain their livelihoods. In keeping with this assurance the NCC will be marketing the products at the production and marketing village gifted by the government of India at Kawanthissapura, Thissamaharama. This village will soon open to the public.