Lounge
An exhibition that tracks the journey of Indian textiles
Summary
The ongoing ‘Sense and Sensibilities’ show explains the influence of industrialisation, Art Deco, Bauhaus and cinema on textiles
The Shuttle of Time, a large abstract sculpture made with banana fibre—its title emerging from the weaver’s shuttle— urges viewers to probe questions about craft, design traditions and their origins. Should a work of art be viewed in its final form or should it be seen from the lens of its origins? In the case of banana fibre, for instance, where is the starting point of the medium? Should the fibre, used for products ranging from apparel and home décor to construction material, be seen from a horticultural perspective, from the time a farmer nurtures the plant till it is used for various purposes?
The sculpture is in two parts, one suspended from the ceiling and the other, standing on the floor. The visual narrative links the past and the future, says Shama Pawar, artist and founder of The Kishkinda Trust, which works with rural communities on multidisciplinary projects in Hampi, Karnataka. “The shuttle’s passage reminds us that time, like the threads on a loom, is continuous and evolving, a process of constant renewal," says Pawar.
Also read: How pret designers are shaping Indian fashion
The sculpture, along with 100-plus other pieces, including textiles, installations and home décor products, is on display at Gandhinagar’s Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre in Gujarat as part of Sense and Sensibilities, a show by Registry of Sarees in collaboration with Raw Collaborative. While The Registry of Sarees is a research centre for handwoven textiles, Raw Collaborative is a design platform that showcases the work of architecture studios.
“We want to look at design in the context of historical and cultural narratives, how various artistic movements may have impacted Indian textiles," says Ally Matthan, founder of The Registry of Sarees. “The exhibition brings together 36 practitioners, including textile collectors, designers and researchers from across India. They have contributed contemporary, heirloom and indigenous textile pieces to take us through the history of textiles from the 19th century onwards."
Aayushi Jain, lead curator of Sense and Sensibilities, says the show not only gives viewers a glimpse of political and economic histories but also tells the personal histories of the artisans. For instance, the show traces the journey of ajrakh expert and practitioner Ismail M. Khatri, who learnt the craft from his father. On display are decades-old ajrakh blocks his grandfather and father used, and the fabrics printed with them.
Then there’s the celebration of rafugari or the art of mending fabric. A mended pashmina shawl belonging to Najibabad-based rafugar Intekhab’s grandfather is on display. Mending the shawl, according to Jain, reflects not only the challenges but also the importance of sticking to a tradition.
The exhibition starts with yardage of various fabrics. One of them is indigo to explore the history of indigo cultivation in India, its decline following the invention of synthetic indigo in Germany, and its pivotal role in the Champaran Satyagraha led by Mahatma Gandhi in 1917. Similarly, the show delves into artistic movements such as Germany’s Bauhaus, which inspired Indian modernism. Its genesis in India was spurred by Rabindranath Tagore, inviting artists from the Bauhaus School to Santiniketan. The show features archival images of buildings, décor and furniture juxtaposed with fabrics to depict the intersection of various crafts.
There’s a glimpse of how cinema and theatre drew inspiration from textile design practices. Jain cites director Shyam Benegal’s 1980s film Susman, which looked at the plight of handloom weavers in the wake of industrialisation.
Works by design studios such as This and That, Tilla and Design ni Dukaan pay tribute to the rich tradition of textiles through furniture. Interior architect and This and That founder Ariane Thakore Ginwala is showcasing furniture pieces and wall art from the Aagor Collection, inspired by Eri silk.
Tilla’s display spotlights textile motifs inspired by seven Indian trees, including mango, neem, peepal and toddy palm. The motifs appear as part of an interior home décor practice in black-and-white forms that are backlit, almost like screens on walls.
“Textile is fluid, it offers ideas, it transcends boundaries and borders," says Jain. “Even if the craftspeople were divided by geographical and political boundaries, the textile can never been divided."
At Mahatma Mandir Convention and Exhibition Centre, Gandhinagar, till 8 December. For details, visit www.theregistryofsarees.com
Abhilasha Ojha is a Delhi-based art and culture writer.
Also read: Why fashion designers are turning into home decorators
