SERIGRAPHY TO SARIGRAPHY, SURTI LALA STYLE……

The word serigraph comes from the root words ‘Seri’ meaning silk in Latin and‘Graphos’
meaning to draw, in Greek. Serigraphy is silk screen printing, one of the oldest forms of print reproduction, an intricate process that demands great expertise. Using this technique to make open and limited editions of art replicas was first made popular in the 1960s, by the American ‘Prince of Pop art’-Andy Warhol. The idea was to make multiple copies of art affordable to a new segment of buyers interested in owning artwork. Original serigraphs are numbered and signed by the artist as proof of authenticity.
Closer home, our ‘whalah Surti Lalas’ have been practicing similar methods to mint moolah.Here is the low down on it……….
Since as early as the thirteenth century, Surat has been a trade centre for textile. Cloth from around the country was processed [dyed, block printed, washed, finished] and exported from here, often bartered for other goods from around the world. From Kinkhabs, Cotton and Silks then, to Polyester now; 1 out of every 3 sarees available in the country these days is manufactured in Surat. Surti Lalas are the undisputed lords of man made textile in the country. Printed fabrics from our town drape people from Kashmir to Kanyakumari not to mention exports to Kenya, Kansas and further on!

Heavy demand of Screen printed sarees manufactured in Surat, has created an ever hungry market for new prints and designs. The textile designers in town give their best shot for the same but apparently cannot cope up. It is common practice in Tapi town therefore, to go on a ‘print shopping spree ‘! Trendy prints are lifted off original works of renowned artists from out of town, to replicate them on the warp and weft of polyester.Sarees and fabrics by famous designer labels from Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkatta, who put to use talent and expertise to create exclusive prints, are sought and bought by Surti mill masters on a regular basis. Direct copies and modified versions of the same are screen printed on Surti saris to lure buyers who get great value for money in the bargain. Nowadays, imitations of Benarasi weaves, Parsi embroidery, Jamavar etc are also machine manufactured in synthetic fabrics.
’Jo achha dikhta hai, who achha bikta hai!”is the SurtiLala’s, favourite formulae; Trademark or copyright are words that do not feature in his dictionary. Hence, our printing industry mostly thrives on unofficially reproducing designs which are the current flavour of the fashion season. It is the easiest and quickest route to sure shot profit making for our mill maaliks, not to mention the happy housewives who get to keep the designer originals when hubby dearest is through with the ‘sari’graphy. To their credit, so well are the prints replicated by our mills that at times it becomes impossible to tell the original from the copy, at first look.
By the way, while we are on the subject of serigraphy, the 10 day ‘Kala Mahotsav’ in town ended yesterday. For sale at this art festival, were beautiful serigraphs by popular artists like S.H .Raza, Jogen Chowdhury, Thota Vaikuntam, Madhavi Parekh, and Amit Ambalal. There were no takers of these works in Textile town. Upon being explained what a serigraph meant, potential buyers at the gallery, did not want to purchase what was’ a replica of the original.’Kyaa matlab hai?’ Questioned a Lala, “Yeh toh copy hai, hum toh sirf original pasand kartey hai! Iski kyaa value?” He thundered in a tone that would have made dear old Mr. Warhol quiver in his grave. Copy that?