Painting Stories: Lives and Legacies from an Indian Crafts Village

by Helle Bundgaard

Overview

Painting Stories explores the accomplishments, struggles, and livelihoods of traditional artisans in Raghurajpur, a village known for its patta chitra painters. In this collection, Helle Bundgaard weaves thirty years of observations and experiences into a tapestry of stories, which together present a poignant image of the lives of Indian craft makers and their personal connections to the art that they create.

The painters' stories are situated in a rich cultural environment and steeped in social relations. For them, painting is more than a livelihood or an aesthetic expression – it is a way of life.

Painting Stories is a window into a part of our world rarely seen, reminding us of both our rich diversity and our shared humanity. Written with the painters, students, and laypersons in mind, the book includes a discussion of ethnographic storytelling and resources for ethnographic writing, as well as color photographs that bring the stories to life.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781487527334
Publisher:	University of Toronto Press
Publication date:	12/15/2021
Pages:	208
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.50(d)

About the Author

Helle Bundgaard is an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology at the University of Copenhagen.

Table of Contents

Illustrations
Glossary
Acknowledgements
Introduction

A Foreign Bird
The Sketchbook
A Ladies' Bicycle
A Craving for Idlis
The Helmet
The Wrath of a Deity
A Long Journey
A Brief Glimpse of Joy
A Convenient Arrangement
A Friend for Life
Too Good to be True
Still Standing
Just Luck?
Something to Celebrate
Spectator Bird
Voyages through Time

Afterword: The Painting of Painting Stories
Recommended Readings

What People are Saying About This

Deborah Reed-Danahay

"Painting Stories is a beautifully written book, rich in its depictions of everyday life among painters and crafters in an Indian village, conveyed through an innovative approach to narrative ethnography. Bundgaard's long-term engagement with the village informs her evocative portraits of scenes, events, and people for whom creativity is at the center of their lives."

Kirin Narayan

"With distinctive verve, empathy, and humor, Painting Stories portrays the changing lives of traditional Indian painters — and their Danish ethnographer — across thirty years. Helle Bundgaard beautifully illustrates the power of stories to cultivate and celebrate caring connections, and to grant subtle ethnographic insights."

Helena Wulff

"Turning extensive ethnographic experience into poetic prose, Painting Stories is a powerful collection of stories. This is ethnography at its best: stories on topics such as religion, family, gender, ambition, and passion that concern us all. A skilled storyteller, Helle Bundgaard weaves local stories into her own narrative. This collection is bound to attract a wide readership."

Editorial Reviews

“A rare gem — the stories are accessible and appealing to a diverse readership, ranging from anthropologists and South Asia specialists to scholars of traditional art and everyday readers. Concerning the interests of folklorists, Painting Stories transcends mere ingenuity, as it delves deeply into the bedrock of our discipline, namely the exploration of material culture and the intricate customs, traditions, and beliefs that envelop it.”

Journal of Folklore Research Reviews - Ruzhica Baruh

"A rare gem – the stories are accessible and appealing to a diverse readership, ranging from anthropologists and South Asia specialists to scholars of traditional art and everyday readers. Concerning the interests of folklorists, Painting Stories transcends mere ingenuity, as it delves deeply into the bedrock of our discipline, namely the exploration of material culture and the intricate customs, traditions, and beliefs that envelop it."—Ruzhica Baruh, Memorial University, Journal of Folklore Research Reviews
"With distinctive verve, empathy, and humor, Painting Stories portrays the changing lives of traditional Indian painters – and their Danish ethnographer – across thirty years. Helle Bundgaard beautifully illustrates the power of stories to cultivate and celebrate caring connections, and to grant subtle ethnographic insights."—Kirin Narayan, Australian National University, author of Alive in the Writing
"Painting Stories is a beautifully written book, rich in its depictions of everyday life among painters and crafters in an Indian village, conveyed through an innovative approach to narrative ethnography. Bundgaard's long-term engagement with the village informs her evocative portraits of scenes, events, and people for whom creativity is at the center of their lives."—Deborah Reed-Danahay, University at Buffalo
"Turning extensive ethnographic experience into poetic prose, Painting Stories is a powerful collection of stories. This is ethnography at its best: stories on topics such as religion, family, gender, ambition, and passion that concern us all. A skilled storyteller, Helle Bundgaard weaves local stories into her own narrative. This collection is bound to attract a wide readership."—Helena Wulff, Stockholm University

From the Publisher