People call me a passion. I call myself artist.
Name: Sultan Baig
Age: Can't recall the precise figure
Currently exhibition at: Ahmedabad Haat, Vastrapur, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
Working since: Class VIII, around 22 years
Type: Family Business
Place of birrth: Udaigiri (Mysore, Karnataka, India)
Master of: Woodwork
Ever since I can remember, I have watched my father caress small but sharp pieces of wood with a loving smile.
Like a mother feeds, plays & teaches its child. My father used to cut wood, paint wood, create wood out of wood.
I inherited this love for wood from him.
A lot many things I wanted to say to the interviewer, but they asked the limited.
How many exhibits I have done? Difficulties I have faced in business? etc etc
How could I face difficulties when I do the things I travel so far for even if I do not have the money to return home.
How could I face difficulties in creating unique pieces of wood art even if people do not purchase it.
Life is good.
To what they asked me:
Yes, I have done 185 individual exhibitions of my work. Business is not a guarantee in each of them.
Like here, in Ahmedabad, it has been 3 days & I have not earned even 1000/- Rs.
I have no money to go back home & that is why I am waiting here every day for someone to stop & buy instead of
stop & inquire indifferently.
What I can say is I am satisfied. I provide employment to 3 more like me, someone who loves his work, but never learned how to sell them.
It takes around two & half hours to make 1 small piece of art. The instrument I use to cut & polish wood is a
sharp string tied to a C shaped wood. I feel like Amitabh Bachhan of movie Coolie.
I too give my blood & sweat to create what others give Rs 100/- for.
I am currently making a temple, a mode of devotion. People worship gods. I worship work.
(Written by the interviewer from what he heard & saw in 2 rounds of interview)
Price of his current work:
Woodowl big size - Rs 190/-
Woodowl small size - Rs 140/-
A joint of woodowl big size - Rs 350/-
A joint of woodowl small size - Rs 275/-
Idol of Ganesha & Krishna - Rs 375/-
A rural house - Rs 200/-
A snake - Rs 75/-
Keychain - Rs 20/-
Round Container Small - Rs 20/-
Round Container Big - Rs 30/-
Keyholder - Ranging from Rs 100 to Rs 300/- (depending on piece to piece)
Penstand - Rs 100/-
From the interviewer:
The artist is a regular worker of Belapur, 200 kilometers from Ahmedabad, near Mumbai (Maharashtra, India)
He loves the place where artist like him gather a market on the roads & exhibit the colourful wonders of life.
Business may or may not happen, but a round of laughter is guaranteed amongst themselves.
If art is not the soul of life, then I don't know what is...
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