Mask Making Workshop

Overview

It’s a wonderful opportunity to meet sculptors from the legendary Banaras Hindu University (BHU) established in 1916 by philanthropist Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya; BHU has always been one of India’s most prestigious learning centres. Dr. M.V. Krishnan was one of the founding members of the College of Music and Fine Arts, established in 1950 at BHU. It was his vision as a sculptor and as an academic that paved the way for the steady rise of the Department of Plastic Arts and its contributions to the field of sculpture, pottery, and ceramics. Papier mâché is a crafting technique that involves the use of paper pulp mixed with the adhesive to create an artefact or decorative article. It’s a good choice for learning sculpture. In modern times, papier mâché has been replaced with materials like plastic.

During the pandemic, the idea of making masks of paper papier mâché was conceived by a Ramlila devotee and neurologist at Banaras Hindu University Prof Vijay Nath Mishra. The masks, created by a group of artisans, were to be used to play Ramlila characters by the devotees. The set of masks comprises masks of the main protagonists in the Ramlila, for which Varanasi is world renowned.

Why you will love it

• Shaping new skills with the soil of the holy Ganga 
• Learning an ancestral Banarasi craft from expert artisans
• Unleashing the creative person in you
• Interface with artisans from the legendary Banaras Hindu University

What you will experience

BHU’s Faculty of Visual Arts is one of the leading institutions in Fine Arts.. You will have an amazing time interacting with talented sculptors from BHU. The workshop is great for also learning a lot about the evolution of the craft of the sculptor in India. Bring out the artisan in you as you learn the basics of sculpture with clay sourced from the holy Ganga. Discover first-hand the mysteries of the craft of papier mâché work under the mentorship of a sculpting prodigy. r. Learn to make your own takeaway souvenir made from papier mâché. If you want to learn to sculpt papier mâché is a good and affordable choice. Suitable for all age groups and skill levels, it’s great fun getting your hands messy. Not only is it very relaxing, out of this messy skill learning you can produce something lovely, like a simple bowl or a mask.