An ambitious exhibition in Jaipur traces 70 years of Indian textiles, from patriotic khadi to bottle cap saris and the new minimalist aesthetic. New Traditions: Influences & Inspirations in Indian Textiles, 1947 - 2017 showcases works that reflect the fields of art, design, fashion and craft — through 72 works from over 50 artists, designers and organisations. Four experts from various industries weigh in on why it is an important event.
Shelly Jyoti, textile artist: Documentation is an important aspect of textile preservation. Through this show, Mayank has charted a trajectory and raised questions — about the role of a craftsperson, of a designer, where the overlap is and how we should address it — which are key. As a visual artist, I’m always exploring how the urban population can connect with weavers. The piece at the exhibition (ajrak on khadi) is a documentation by itself. It is a timeless silhouette that women have been wearing for generations, the angrakha.
David Abraham, fashion designer: We are seeing the emergence of a large, new market today, which is not static, given the fact that we are living in a digital age. So what does the craftsperson do? He adapts. This exhibition touches upon how, historically, craft has evolved to suit the time and the trade. For the show, Mayank has selected one of our early double ikat scarves, a simple series of black and white squares from the ‘90s, that was the beginning of our design language.
Ashdeen Lilaowala, textile designer: This exhibition is important because there has never been such a documentation of the traditional and the contemporary — a linking and drawing of parallels that show the journey of Indian textiles. I work with Parsi gara embroidery, which evolved from our trade with China, and is a mix of Persian, Indian and British traditions. You will see our crane sari in Jaipur, where we’ve taken one element out of the design vocabulary and made it very graphic, to infuse new energy.
Ajay Mayor, founder, Beej: When my aunt, Asha Sarabhai, began designing in the ’70s, she was a pathbreaker. Today, she is heartened by how we are moving towards the minimal aesthetic she worked with back then. A coat from our Kora collection — which eliminates inessential details to focus on comfort and functionality (reinterpreted from Sarabhai’s design archives) — is being showcased at New Traditions. Inspired by the panelled jama silhouette, it features two layers of hand cut reverse appliqué.
Embroidery design by Ahmedabad-based artist-designer Asif Shaikh, using 2,000 beetle wings and metallic thread on peacock feather fabric from Benaras.