In December 2025, fellows of the Odisha Craft Odyssey Residency Programme embarked on their first field visit to the appliqué craft clusters of Butupali, Sahajpal, and Aanithapali in Boudh district. Spending time with artisan communities, they observed craft practices, exchanged stories, and gained first-hand insights into the rhythms of everyday making.
More than a site visit, the journey became an important step in understanding the cultural, social, and material contexts that shape appliqué craft today. These interactions enriched the fellows' research, offering perspectives that could only emerge through immersion, dialogue, and lived experience. Looking back, Field Trip 01 stands as the beginning of a deeper engagement with Odisha's living craft traditions.
