<div>The bright colours and the cheerful designs are the first things that grab your eyes as you enter the Kitsch Mandi at the Humming Tree. And then you notice the effort that has been put into making the stuff that has been so proudly displayed at the counters. From coasters to tote bags to paintings; the flea market held on Sunday had something for everybody. <br /><br />Says Roshni, one of the organisers of the event, “This is a platform to encourage young talent and indie artists. The theme for this year’s mandi is ‘travel designs’ and we have curated about 15 vendors. There will also be some programmes which will be conducted as part of this event. Short stories and road trip experiences will be shared during the event, there will be music and other free live acts.”<br /><br />Standing behind a counter filled with vividly coloured bags, Archana Sinha says, “This stall is called ‘Kowdi Kutumba’ and these are contemporary products which use the traditional North Karnataka craft of Kowdi. We work with women in a slum in Bengaluru to create these items. Products range from tablet sleeves, laptop sleeves, travel bags to cushion covers and other home decor items.”<br /><br />Another artist, Archana Perriera, says, “My products feature my illustrations on the popular spots in Bengaluru. There is no romanticising; my art captures the spot as it is so people will be able to recognise the place and relate with the art. My stall has art prints, coasters and postcard sets with my illustrations.”<br /><br />Every product showcased is intensely personal as it represents the artist’s thoughts about the world of travel or his/her experience. There are also some stalls which want the customer to participate in the experience of creation as well. The stall named ‘Letter for a stranger’ run by the owners of a travel company. Says Hitesh Kataria, one of the owners, “We got our travellers to write a letter and we placed them in glass bottles. Whoever buys one of these bottles has to write a letter in return. It is like a chain.”<br /><br />Standing behind a counter which was dominated by the colour brown, Swathy says, “I have made placemats, tote bags and coasters. The prints on these are my personal photographs that I took during my travels or the sketches I made. It is my way of extending my experiences to the customers.”<br /><br /></div>
<div>The bright colours and the cheerful designs are the first things that grab your eyes as you enter the Kitsch Mandi at the Humming Tree. And then you notice the effort that has been put into making the stuff that has been so proudly displayed at the counters. From coasters to tote bags to paintings; the flea market held on Sunday had something for everybody. <br /><br />Says Roshni, one of the organisers of the event, “This is a platform to encourage young talent and indie artists. The theme for this year’s mandi is ‘travel designs’ and we have curated about 15 vendors. There will also be some programmes which will be conducted as part of this event. Short stories and road trip experiences will be shared during the event, there will be music and other free live acts.”<br /><br />Standing behind a counter filled with vividly coloured bags, Archana Sinha says, “This stall is called ‘Kowdi Kutumba’ and these are contemporary products which use the traditional North Karnataka craft of Kowdi. We work with women in a slum in Bengaluru to create these items. Products range from tablet sleeves, laptop sleeves, travel bags to cushion covers and other home decor items.”<br /><br />Another artist, Archana Perriera, says, “My products feature my illustrations on the popular spots in Bengaluru. There is no romanticising; my art captures the spot as it is so people will be able to recognise the place and relate with the art. My stall has art prints, coasters and postcard sets with my illustrations.”<br /><br />Every product showcased is intensely personal as it represents the artist’s thoughts about the world of travel or his/her experience. There are also some stalls which want the customer to participate in the experience of creation as well. The stall named ‘Letter for a stranger’ run by the owners of a travel company. Says Hitesh Kataria, one of the owners, “We got our travellers to write a letter and we placed them in glass bottles. Whoever buys one of these bottles has to write a letter in return. It is like a chain.”<br /><br />Standing behind a counter which was dominated by the colour brown, Swathy says, “I have made placemats, tote bags and coasters. The prints on these are my personal photographs that I took during my travels or the sketches I made. It is my way of extending my experiences to the customers.”<br /><br /></div>
