Trunk call: From grey to Gond

How A Hundred Hands’ Re Trunk Project makes art functional

Almost every Indian household has trunks stowed under beds or stashed away in the attic or dumped in a garage. In a basic, boring shade of grey, these (mostly) Army-issue foot lockers are functional and far outlive their original purpose, eventually winding up in an out-of-sight corner of the home.

Now, thanks to a makeover by A Hundred Hands, a non-profit trust in Bengaluru, these trunks are now enjoying a second lease of life in the limelight as centrepieces in many a home.

According to Mala Dhawan, co-founder of the Trust with her sister Sonia Dhawan, they had been mulling over the idea for a while now since they hail from an Army background.

“We were also looking at ways we could help traditional artisans visualise options to monetise their art. We felt this was an idea that would help them think outside the box,” says Mala.

Besides this, Mala says, “We were looking at ways to give traditional art a functional purpose besides being purely aesthetic where they hang on a wall or take up space on a shelf.”

The project gained momentum a few months ago when A Hundred Hands transformed a wall at the Central Army Command in Lucknow with Gond art. “While there, we asked a few people if they’d like to get their trunks re-done and the response was tremendous,” says Mala.

“In Army homes these trunks were not only used for transport but also served varied purposes. Four of them put together would make do for a bed, while two could make a diwan. It all depended on your creativity. There’s a lot of emotional attachment to these trunks,” she says.