Local Art Research Articles

Creating Sustainable Artistic Homestay: Approaches to Design Weizhou Island into an Ideal Tourist Attraction Homestay

This article explores the development of sustainable artistic homestays in Weizhou Island, China, a burgeoning tourist destination rich in cultural and ecological heritage. In this study, a narrative review method is employed, which involves a comprehensive examination of existing literature, focusing on several key themes: sustainable tourism, homestay development, infrastructure challenges, and ecological conservation. By synthesizing insights from a wide range of scholarly articles, books, and reports, this narrative review aims to provide a holistic understanding of the factors influencing the development of sustainable artistic homestays in the context of Weizhou Island. It assesses the current state of homestays, identifying key challenges such as environmental sustainability, cultural erosion, and economic viability. The article proposes innovative strategies for sustainable development, emphasizing ecological conservation, cultural preservation, and community involvement. It also discusses the potential benefits of these homestays, including promoting local arts, fostering cultural exchange, and generating economic opportunities for residents. The findings suggest that a balanced approach, combining sustainable practices with cultural authenticity, can transform Weizhou Island into an exemplary sustainable tourist attraction, setting a benchmark for similar destinations worldwide.

Школа методологии художественных исследований: практика и теория

The conversation between two female curators, co-founders of the Bishkek School of Contemporary Art (BiSCA), raises questions related to methodological approaches in artistic research. They reflect on the connection of their interests and education (political science and sociology) with the emergence and agenda of the School of Artistic Research Methodology, on the need for an ideological position in projects, on the advantage of artistic research over academic research, as well as on the opportunities that methodological system thinking offers for forming new perspectives on seemingly understandable phenomena, elements of systems, or systems themselves. The conversation traces the concepts and conclusions on the structure and forms of interaction within the School of Artistic Research Methodology as a fluid platform for the exchange of experiences in the field of artistic practices and research methodologies. It is built on self-organization and solidarity without any hierarchy of knowledge or teachers, where everyone being an equal participant in the process of information exchange. The text emphasizes that methodology is one of the foundations of creativity, with School of Artistic Research Methodology focusing on the exploration of research processes and reflection on contemporary art practices in Bishkek and Kyrgyzstan. This reflection derives local art theory from practices, comparing and systematizing different approaches in order to gradually form knowledge on ourselves, cultural and political processes taking place in Kyrgyzstan, while expanding the horizons of methodological imagination and the possibility of reassembling social relations.

Research on the Design Application of Cantonese Opera Art in Primary School from the CTML: An Example of Guangzhou Huadu Qixing

With the progress of the times and social changes, more and more people are realizing the necessity of inheriting intangible cultural heritage and their contribution to the content of school art education. This study aims to explore the integration and development of the design and application of Cantonese opera art in primary school art education. Drawing on the cognitive framework of American psychologist Richard Mayer's multimedia learning theory, this study takes Guangzhou Huadu Qixing Primary School as the research object and conducts pilot teaching in the form of extracurricular activities recruited by art interest groups. Empirical research is conducted through questionnaires and participatory observation methods. Research has shown that integrating Cantonese opera art into primary school art classrooms not only enhances students' sense of identification and pride in traditional culture, but also enhances their creativity in applying Cantonese opera art design. During the experimental teaching process, it was found that the current integration and development of Cantonese opera art through art education is still weak, due to insufficient protection of school art teaching resources and a serious lack of school art teachers. Therefore, optimization strategies for experimental teaching are proposed: firstly, to strengthen the promotion of school culture and resource sharing with local art museums; secondly, to adopt diverse teaching methods to increase students' interest in learning Cantonese opera; and third, to build excellent teacher training for Cantonese opera art.

Research on the Integration of Discourse System of Chinese Indigenous Art Theory and Art Aesthetics

Abstract The long-term development of Chinese art theory can not be separated from the art theory doctrine system constructed by the West. In order to integrate Chinese art theory with aesthetics, it is necessary to localize the construction of Chinese art theory. This paper starts from the foundation of Chinese art aesthetics and proposes the direction of the construction of the Chinese art aesthetic discourse system. Based on the guidance of art discourse graph theory, combined with the BERT extractive summary model, the discourse relationship system is divided into four steps: task determination, vector representation of discourse units, graph encoder establishment, and discourse unit selection. Applying the model to reality analysis, the results are as follows: “art definition” is the keyword with the highest frequency and centrality in the field of art theory and aesthetic fusion after appearing in 2017, which is 295 times and 0.896, respectively. Art theory and aesthetic fusion of art are separated into two stages, based on 2020 as the demarcation line. After 2020, the keyword intensity becomes “empathy”, “modern art,” and “art aesthetics”, with an intensity of 4.4966, 3.4321, and 3.4565, respectively. China’s local art theories are shifting towards art aesthetics, and the integration is a natural process.

Exploring Social Dynamics in Homestay: A study of Bethanchowk Village Community Homestay

This article explores the rich realm of home stays in Bethanchowk, revealing a complex web of cultural exchange, identity formation that is transformative, cooperative decision-making, and the significant impact of the local context. Host narratives shed light on the distinctive dynamics that distinguish home stays from other types of lodging. The process of cultural adaptation is gradual; visitors actively participate in local celebrations and customs, becoming essential strands in the rich tapestry of Bethanchowk culture. This mutual process enhances the travel experience for visitors while giving hosts priceless insights into various cultural viewpoints. Visitors who participate in a home stay experience leave with a small piece of the local identity, emphasizing transformative identity formation. By sharing their cultural heritage and encouraging positive metamorphoses, hosts contribute to influencing the perspectives of their guests. Established power structures in commercialized lodgings are challenged by the inclusive atmosphere, which values everyone and is characterized by group decision-making and a lack of hierarchy. This reciprocal experience is advantageous to guests as well as hosts. With a focus on the local environment, Bethanchowk's Village Community home stays provide visitors with a distinctive cultural experience through festivals, customs, and friendliness. Through cultural workshops and partnerships with local artisans, they work to continuously improve the home stay, making it flexible enough to adjust to guests' changing tastes and preserve its distinct ambience outside of the building. Home stay narratives are sociologically innovative spaces that transcend traditional hospitality models, fostering social interactions, cultural exchange, and identity co-creation. These findings highlight evolving consumer behavior in the hospitality sector and guide home stays towards a future where cultural exchange and enriched experiences remain at the forefront of innovation, guiding them towards a more fulfilling and enriching experience.

Rite of the Waters: procession through the Campanhã Washhouses

This article aims to reflect on the invisibility of women's work. We focus on two interconnected themes: the devaluation of domestic work as a de facto job; and the neglect of public washhouses, which were spaces for women to meet and work in the past. Initially, Chloé's research discussed the public wash houses in Porto in order to cover their history, their impact on women's lives and their current state of deterioration. Gabriela's research reflected on the relationships and developments between domestic labour and performance art in an amalgam of repetitions, deviations and accumulation. As a result of the Des/oriente project, there was a combination of these two areas of knowledge that gave rise to new multidisciplinary research carried out in two distinct areas: fine arts and architecture. The project in question aimed to realise narratives in the public space in the parish of Campanhã in Porto with activations by local artists. In practical terms, the research materialised in a performance held in three washhouses where we were able to reactivate these spaces in an artistic way while also exploring different narratives about domestic work. It was possible to once again create a place for meeting and sharing in these spaces. Cover image: Rite of the Waters: procession through the Campanhã Washhouses, Act I, Presa Velha, 2023. Photo - Katana Studio

DEVELOPMENT OF FLIPBOOK LEARNING MEDIA FOR STUDENTS' LOCATION IN INDONESIAN LANGUAGE LEARNING

The development of digital flipbooks based on local wisdom as a medium for learning Indonesian language material aims to improve learning outcomes. The choice of flipbook as a learning medium is due to the characteristics of Indonesian language subjects, the majority of which are text-oriented which can cause learning boredom in students. Flipbooks are seen as innovative and interesting media that can illustrate concrete experiences in academic concepts so that they can give rise to contextual learning. Flipbook was developed using the ADDIE model including five stages, namely 1) analysis; 2) design; 3) development; 4) implementation and 5) evaluation. The subjects are teachers and students, while the object is a digital flipbook as a learning medium. The material used in learning media is Indonesian language material and local wisdom content. The research results show that the development of Flipbook learning media as digital media can have a positive impact on both teachers and students in improving learning outcomes. The aspect of Indonesian language material used in flipbook media has relevance. This can be seen from the compatibility between descriptive text material which is integrated with local cultural wisdom and tourist attractions. Furthermore, procedural text material is integrated with local food and arts and crafts wisdom.Keywords: flipbook, local wisdom, integration, learning

지역문화공간의 관광경쟁력 지표개발에 관한 연구 : 공립박물관 및 미술관을 중심으로

지역문화공간의 관광경쟁력 지표개발에 관한 연구 : 공립박물관 및 미술관을 중심으로

문래창작촌의 상업화와 예술생태 변화 연구

This paper aims to analyze the impact of the commercialization of the recently emerged Mullae Art Village, an art cluster, on the art ecology, specifically the creative activities of artists. To achieve this goal, Focus Group Interviews (FGI) and in-depth interviews were conducted with a total of 13 artists. Various data related to Mullae Art Village were also analyzed to examine the current state of commercialization and its effects on the art ecology. The analysis revealed that Mullae Art Village has entered a rapid stage of commercialization. Significant changes in the local space are rapidly occurring, and notably, there is a reduction in the available space for artists. The study also confirmed a significant transformation within the local art scene due to the increase in commercial artistic activities. In response to these findings, the research proposes management systems for coping with local commercialization and policy suggestions for preserving artistic activities. Mullae Art Village serves as a space for diverse artistic activities, and the commercialization of the area is closely tied to these artistic endeavors. Therefore, the significance of this study lies in the discussion of strategies for sustainable development through the coexistence of art and commercialization.

Utilizing the potential of local arts and culture as economic capital in the Sanggar Karawitan Mudo Raharjo Ogan Komering Ulu Timur district

[Bahasa]: Sanggar Karawitan Mudo Raharjo merupakan kelompok penggiat seni budaya yang lahir dari kecintaan masyarakat transmigran asal Jawa Tengah di Desa Margotani Kabupaten Ogan Komering Ulu Timur Provinsi Sumatera Selatan. Pada awal pembentukan, kelompok sanggar melestarikan kesenian musik karawitan dengan hiburan seni ketoprak. Namun, eksistensi kegiatan seni karawitan dan ketoprak sudah mulai berkurang karena beberapa pemain sudah mulai tidak ada. Di sisi lain, proses regenerasi tidak berjalan sebagaimana mestinya. Kondisi ini mengakibatkan berkurangnya pemasukan sanggar dan hilangnya pewaris seni budaya leluhur sehingga diperlukan adanya pelatihan pengembangan kreatifitas seni budaya dan pelatihan pemasaran secara online. Pelatihan ini bertujuan untuk menumbuhkembangkan jiwa kreativitas dan socialpreneur sehingga mitra kedepannya dapat menghasilkan karya unggulan yang dibutuhkan pasar dan bernilai ekonomi tinggi. Pelatihan menggunakan pendekatan Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) yang dilakukan pada 30 orang, terdiri dari kelompok orang tua dan kelompok remaja yang ada di Desa Margotani. Pelatihan yang diberikan mencakup teknis produksi karya, seperti pelatihan Dalang, prosesi Temon, tari kreasi dan tradisional Jawa, dan pemasaran karya melaui pembuatan media pemasaran secara online. Hasil kegiatan pengabdian kepada masyarakat tersebut menunjukkan bahwa terjadi peningkatan pengetahuan peserta dari 6,7% menjadi 72,8%. Selain itu, juga terjadi peningkatan kreativitas dari yang sebelumnya hanya memainkan seni karawitan menjadi mampu memainkan seni tari kreasi tradisi, prosesi adat temu manten, dan berperan sebagai Dalang. Hasil wawancara menunjukan bahwa peserta memperoleh motivasi, dorongan, terbukanya jalan untuk melanjutkan dan mengembangkan kesenian karawitan agar dapat dikenal oleh publik sehingga bernilai ekonomi yang dapat mewujudkan kesejahteraan masyarakat desa. Kata Kunci: seni budaya, pelatihan, sanggar karawitan [English]: The Mudo Raharjo Karawitan Studio is a group of arts and culture activists born from the love of the transmigrant community from Central Java in Margotani Village, East Ogan Komering Ulu Regency, South Sumatra Province. At the beginning of its formation, the studio group preserved the art of Karawitan music with Ketoprak art entertainment. However, musical and Ketoprak art activities have decreased because some players have begun to disappear. On the other hand, the regeneration process does not work as it should. This condition results in reduced income for studios and the loss of heirs to ancestral arts and culture, so there is a need for training in the development of creative arts and culture and online marketing training. This training aims to develop the spirit of creativity and social entrepreneurship so that future partners can produce superior work that is needed by the market and has high economic value. The training used the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) approach, which was carried out on 30 people, consisting of parents and youth groups in Margotani Village. The training includes technical work production, such as Dalang training, Temon processions, creative and traditional Javanese dances, and marketing works through creating online marketing media. The results of the community service program showed an increase in participants' knowledge from 6.7% to 72.8%. Apart from that, there was also an increase in creativity from previously only playing musical arts to being able to play traditional dance creations, traditional meeting Manten processions, and acting as Dalang. The results of the interviews showed that the participants received motivation and encouragement and opened up a way to continue and develop the art of karawitan so that the public can recognize that it has economic value that can realize the welfare of the village community. Keywords: arts and culture, training, karawitan studio

Factors Affecting Visit Decision Through Visitor Satisfaction at M Bloc Space Jakarta

This research aims to determine the influence of tourist facilities and attractions on visiting decisions through tourist satisfaction at M Bloc Space Jakarta. The research method used is path analysis with a quantitative descriptive research type. The population is all visitors who visited M Bloc Space Jakarta from June to August 2023. The sample taken was 100 visitors who were determined based on the Slovin formula. Sampling was carried out using the Accidental Sampling technique. Partial research results show: (1) Tourist facilities and tourist attractions have a significant influence on visitor satisfaction; (2) tourist facilities, tourist attractions, and visitor satisfaction together have a significant influence on the decision to visit; (3) Tourist facilities and tourist attractions also have a significant influence on visiting decisions through visitor satisfaction. Good tourist facilities and attractions not only directly influence visitor satisfaction, but also have an impact on their decision to return to visit M Bloc Space Jakarta. M Bloc Space managers are expected to (1) establish partnerships with the local creative community and collaborate with local artists, startup companies and music groups to increase the attractiveness of M Bloc Space as a center for creativity, while providing added value for visitors. (2) In addition, they are expected to create interactive experiences at M Bloc Space through exploratory art installations, interesting selfie areas, and creative stations that allow visitors to create their own works. This experience encourages visitors to share with others, strengthening M Bloc Space's appeal as a unique and interesting destination.

Sosialisasi Penerapan Paket Wisata Budaya Lokal Sebagai Atraksi Wisata Alternatif Di Desa Huta Tinggi Kabupaten Samosir

Local cultural tourism in the village has become an increasingly interesting topic in the context of local economic development and preservation of cultural heritage and exotic experiences for tourists. The implementation of this service aims to provide a deeper understanding through socialisation activities in the application of local cultural tour packages as alternative tourist attractions in the Huta Tinggi Tourism village. The method of implementing this service activity is through a one-day seminar with the stages of observation, building communication regarding the willingness of partners, presentation of material, questions and answers and preparation of reports on the programmes that have been carried out. The focus of this socialisation presentation examines the economic impact, cultural preservation, and community participation in tourism development. By presenting tourist attractions that highlight the uniqueness of Huta Tinggi's local traditions, arts and culture, the village can maintain their heritage and encourage a better understanding of their cultural wealth, which is where the importance of this activityties.

Tanks on Monuments, Monument Tanks

The purpose of this outline was to introduce the topic of using armored weapons elements in the erection of monuments. The text discusses the issue of “monuments of gratitude” to the Red Army, which often drew on the motif of the tank monument, using a tank of the liberator of a particular locality. Monuments to the brotherhood of arms between the Red Army and the People’s Polish Army are also discussed. Two unique works that were not created by state order and were not propaganda manifestations are discussed next: the monument in Kasina Wielka and the now demolished one in Zyndranowa. In Kasina Wielka, a local artist designed a monument commemorating Polish soldiers who fell in September 1939. The work uses the turret of a Vickers tank, a real rarity since not a single Vickers tank taking part in the operations of the 1939 campaign has survived to this day. Moreover, it shows the grassroots initiative of citizens who wanted to commemorate the clashes in Kasina Wielka. The second monument was erected in Zyndranowa to commemorate the casualties of the 1944 Dukla operation. Importantly, it was again a grassroots initiative. The text discusses the stages of its creation, along with the actions taken by the authorities to dismantle it. The article is supplemented by a table listing “monuments of gratitude” that used elements of World War II military equipment.

Results of Archaeometrical Studies on a Kontush Sash from Piaseczno (Pomorskie Province, Poland)

Archaeometric studies on silk thread wound around with metal strips are still rarely undertaken in Poland. Their popularization seems to be necessary, however, as there are many problems to solve. In the case of a kontush sash manufactured in Gdańsk as archaeological finds, the main question is whether they used metal strips prepared by local craftsmen, what raw material was employed, and what methods of gilding were implemented. Only future regular studies and analyses can answer these questions. The article presents the results of tests on metal strips wound around silk threads coming from a kontush sash manufactured by Besch, excavated in the crypt under the presbytery of the church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Piaseczno (Pomorskie voivodeship, Poland).

Private art museums and their local creative communities: A case study of Mona

This case study is concerned with the arrival and impact of private art museum Mona in Tasmania, examining how the local creative community perceives its impact and how it influences the broader cultural landscape. The museum represents a larger trend where affluent individuals establish prestigious private museums with significant global reach. This study has found Mona to be a highly personal endeavour, providing influential networks in support of the owner's personal and business objectives. It highlights the perception that the museum has had a transformative impact on Tasmania, particularly in adding a sophisticated dimension to the state's cultural visage and a new vibrancy that is thought to resonate strongly with tourists. Previous scholarship has shown that private museums operate in a different context and play by different rules to their public counterparts and this study has shown this to be true in identifying problems with how to govern Mona and the local creative scene trying to negotiate a place within this changing context. Mona has brought credibility to the arts, but set high expectations for the local arts scene, creating entry barriers for young artists and challenging arts institutions with more limited resources.

Local to National: Victorian Industrialist Art Collectors’ Geographies

After 1850, the middle and working classes sought cultural education, which John Ruskin, among others, identified as a signifier of civilization and national greatness. Working Men’s Colleges, three 1870 university Slade Professorships in art history, proliferating art publications, and emerging regional museums offered opportunities to become conversant with visual art were then equated with social mobility and Englishness. Amid this cultural nationalism, critic F. G. Stephens’s 100+ Athenaeum series, “The Private Collections of England” (1873–1887), transformed collectors into national heroes. Scholars have noted the rising profile of collectors in 19th-century Europe and the US, in which Stephens’s series participated. Stephens detailed these collections’ expanded geography in England’s industrial north, turning local art collecting into a national, unifying force, a transformation made possible by his periodical serialization itself. These collectors, industrialists, merchants and bankers exemplified a new middle-class social, cultural and political authority. Most of them intended to bequeath their collections philanthropically to museums, thus shaping public tastes and the canon. They were personally and socially networked with artists and with each other, often working in complementary industries. Stephens interspersed his detailed descriptions of artworks with exhibition histories across translocal and transnational spaces, using the power of the press to weave a network between collectors and the public and a shared cultural history that endorsed collectors’ new public identity. However, Stephens also raised tensions about the geography of collecting, emphasizing collectors’ local places while presenting them as shaping a national space in their homogeneous taste and support of the same living artists and even the same pictorial subjects. In this way, Stephens straddled and flattened differences between national and regional market forces when, ironically, England’s art market was be coming increasingly international. This geographical layering is explored here in the context of the rise of provincial art institutions, the period’s notion of national schools and in anticipating the features of the current geohistory of art. I will explore two devices associated with the periodical press: ekphrasis and serialization, both of which Stephens deploys. Stephens wrote long ekphrases on works in these collection and omitted illustrations, noting in several comments that the Athenaeum’s middle-class readers were already familiar with artists’ works. This presumption and his use of 19th-century serialization, used by novelists whose chapters appeared across multiple issues of periodicals, combing to create a powerful force binding readers to his elevation of collectors’ social, national and cultural roles.

An Evaluation on the Pictures of Jâmiʿ Al-Tevârîkḫ 's Tashkent Copy, Numbered 1620

This research is an evaluation of the Tashkent copy of the illustrated work Jâmiʿ al-tevârîkḫ, which was prepared by the vizier Rashid al-Din (d. 1318) and collective writers in the early 14th century, near Tabriz, the capital of the Ilkhanid dynasty. The copy, which was preserved in N. 1620 at the Institute of Oriental Studies, named Abu Rayhan Beruni, of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Uzbekistan, is one of the copies prepared in the first quarter of the 14th century, which has the least painting program among the Jâmiʿ al-tevârîkḫ copies that have survived to the present day. The illustrated Tashkent copy does not show any resemblance to the usual compositions of other Jâmiʿ al-tevârîkḫ copies that have survived to the present day. The fact that only the throne scenes are included in the completed painting program of the work, that a few paintings have the quality of sketches, and that crowded compositions are avoided, indicate that the work was prepared in a workshop outside the centers where the other copies were produced. In the study, a comparison will be made on the Paris copy of Jâmiʿ al-tevârîkḫ compiled in Tashkent and Timurid palace and a few pictures in the Diez Album. The subject chosen to be depicted, the figure in the composition and the similar and different aspects of the clothing features will be evaluated. In our study, the codicological features of the copy will be examined. It is thought that the work was prepared by other local artists who were influenced by Tabriz-based workshops under the rule of the Ilkhanids.

THE DEPICTION OF ISLAMIC ELEMENTS IN THE ARTWORKS OF YOUNG CONTEMPORARY AWARD

The National Art Gallery (NAG) introduced the Young Contemporary Award (YCA), also known as Bakat Muda Sezaman (BMS), in the early 1970s with the goal of improving the creative thinking of the art scene. The platform has resulted in a significant percentage of notorious local artists producing remarkable artworks. Nevertheless, with the fast advancement of the modern era in Malaysia, the intention of presenting national culture and traditions especially the Islamic values through visual art among the Muslim artists appears to dissipate. The new generation of Muslim artists' preference for western and universal styles led to the abandonment of Islamic symbols. They appeared to ignore their own cultural motifs and ideals without concerning the impact of their decisions on the next generation of Muslim artists. Thus, this paper will discuss the examples of Islamic elements depicted in the Young Contemporary Award artworks based on the principles from the National Culture Congress 1971 using the qualitative method. It is important for these visual arts to be studied for their contribution in Islamic art. These findings can be used as source of reference to improve the content of Malaysian art making.

"Emergence of Channapatna Local Planning Area – An Alternative to Decongest Bengaluru, Karnataka, India "

There has been quite a debate to understand the scope and opportunities related to the fringe areas of urban cores and their associated areas. Indeed, planners envision fringe areas as ‘great alternatives’ to ease out housing pressure in cities. As many of the fast growing Asian cities, Bengaluru shows quite a rapid and haphazard development in terms of urban processes. The city has expanded rather comfortably since 1990s in a concentric pattern, but presently it is facing immense challenges in terms of land availability. City planners have struggled to find solutions, while taking measures for the decentralization of city functions in the case of fringe areas. This research highlights the physical set up and the existing land use components to understand the extension and development possibilities of the fringe region of Channapatna lying adjacent to the Bengaluru city. The study area is Channapatna, which is famous for its handmade wooden toy and doll making industries. The region is a fringe area that promises to be a great setting for residential and industrial activities. Nonetheless, the paper focuses on the current villages in the region, which are generally agriculture-oriented and thus the preservation of the land use and related conservation measures are needed in a single planning platform. The study describes the demographic parameters and discusses the current land use and future planning measures. Therefore, the focus is not on Bengaluru as the Indian software capital, but on Channapatna in Bengaluru fringe area, which has tremendously benefited from the city development efforts. As such, this development includes economic growth and sustainable planning measures that would promote the co-existence of the rural and urban land uses, safeguarding the interests of the local artisans and farmers while paving the way for urbanization. This paper highlights the demographic aspects of the villages considered for a comprehensive and cluster level planning of Channapatna with changing land uses showing its prospects in toy making industries and its nearness to the main city as a promising future of sustainable urban planning and development.

Assessment of health impacts of quality water provisioning from groundwater sources: a micro-level study in India

Abstract Many nations have implemented policies to improve drinking water quality, but challenges arise from overexploited or contaminated groundwater-based sources. This paper aims at examining the aspects of water scarcity, security, and sustainability within an Indian village context. We attempt to compare two rural water supply sources in Nagla Chandi village in Uttar Pradesh, India: (a) untreated groundwater sourced from bore wells and (b) treated water from a reverse osmosis (RO) plant. We observed that subterranean minerals are the primary pollutants of unprocessed water drawn from borewells, which form the main source of drinking water. Even though water from the RO plant meets all the quality parameters of potability, frequent breakdowns of the plant due to improper management force the villagers to drink untreated water from the dug wells fitted with hand pumps, affecting their health. We also found a high incidence of water-borne diseases. The case analysis suggests enhancing village water treatment projects by training local artisans in system repair and increasing Panchayat staff to include trained engineers for technical advice and maintenance. The paper proposes reducing water testing cost in rural areas to make it possible Q4 for local organizations to regularly assess water quality and implement corrective actions.