The Carved Visage

This is what happens when a bowl refuses to be just a bowl. Look a little closer. There's a face, intricate geometry, patterns and an entire visual language carved into a single object. Traditional Naga woodcarving has a remarkable way of bringing the functional and the expressive together. Working with simple tools and generations of accumulated skill, the craft transforms an everyday form into something that is part object, part sculpture, and entirely individual. And because each piece is made by hand, no two are ever quite alike. Subtle variations in the carving, details and finish are not flaws to be corrected, but part of what makes each piece its own. A little piece of India's extraordinary craft vocabulary, and one we're rather glad to have discovered.