Kanika Issar, Founder & Designer
"I couldn't believe I was watching an ancient craft [dokra] being made in the exact same way it was 4000 years ago.
It takes an artisan 8 days to make one dokra handle. When he goes to sell it, it's value is determined primarily by the weight of metal used, not his time, skill, or the legacy he bears.
My work recontextualizes how we value Indian artisans and craftsmanship by bringing dokra into a dialogue with contemporary objects, materials and layouts.
This radical act of recontextualization is both a homage and disruption- it honors the perseverance of indigenous skill and demands value when viewed as a modern, contemporary object."
enarai is the phonetic spelling of 'N.R.I.', a legal status which stands for Non-Resident Indian
It is an acknowledgement of the Indian diaspora, connecting a deeply Indian tradition of craftsmanship to a modern, contemporary, and borderless audience.
enarai supports the enarai foundation.
This 4500-year-old craft has been passed down over generations without any formal education. The enarai foundation strives to document, highlight, preserve and incentivize the communities that create these craft forms by including them in the evolution of creative and sustainable craft preservation.
The Dokra Collection: Season 1
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Objects With Soul
a personal journal by founder Kanika Issar sharing essays on the values, systems and processes behind handmade craft at enarai