In February 2023, I put on my first exhibition at Liverpool John Moores University Public Exhibition Space. It drew on several years of travelling to India conducting research and collecting textiles and the stories of their makers. This exhibition showcases a selection of these textiles and stories, including ones that have been designed and made by artisans in the region of Kutch, western India and the small town of Maheshwar in Madhya Pradesh, central India. It also includes a selection of garments from small fashion brands that incorporate traditional crafts from these two regions and a film that was made during my PhD research which documents the handloom weaving process…
-
-
The impact of coronavirus on Indian artisans
In these strange and difficult times we are living in, I have been thinking a lot about how the coronavirus pandemic is having such a huge impact on the whole world, creating a knock-on effect in every corner of society and the way we live our lives, as well as how our futures look. In particular I have been thinking about how the virus will impact the many craftspeople I have had the privilege to work with for my research and write about for this blog and other publications. While in India there have been less people infected than here in the UK, the steps taken to prevent spread have…
-
The Blue Hmong of Pa Co Village, Hoa Binh, Vietnam
Words and Photos by Supei Ho, originally published at The Textile Atlas The Blue Hmong are one of 54 ethnic minority groups in Vietnam. A subgroup of the Miao people, the majority of whom live in China, the Blue Hmong are renowned for their decorative indigo Batik textiles that are often adorned with patchwork, cross-stitch and applique. Traditional textile making is a domestic affair and a source of supplementary income for these families, besides agriculture and farming. Hmong men perform most of the physically demanding work such as felling trees, constructing houses and transporting the harvest; whereas Hmong women and older girls hold the responsibility for food preparation, household chores,…
-
Review: Textile Society of America Symposium 2018: The Social Fabric: Deep Local to Pan Global
I was delighted to receive the TSA Student award to attend and present my research at the biennial symposium which this year was held in Vancouver, Canada. It was my first TSA symposium and first visit to the city and I was impressed with the attention to detail in the organisation and schedule, and the variety of inspiring, thought provoking and quality papers by scholars and practitioners responding to the symposium theme ‘The Social Fabric Deep Local to Pan Global’. Many of the papers and keynotes did well to respond to issues relevant to the locality of Vancouver, such as decolonisation, reconciliation of First Nation communities and the repatriation of…
-
Responsible Crafts Tourism in Kutch
‘I want to teach weaving to as many people as possible. I want to contribute to this craft and make it as popular as possible in the whole world. This is what I want.’ Dayalal Kudecha, SKV graduate, weaver-designer and teacher, Bhujodi, Kutch. Weaving is just one of the many textile crafts of Kutch that form an important part of the cultural identity, economy and social life of the region and both the individual and collective maker and user. The many Kutchi villages, home to weavers, block printers, bandhani (tie-dye), batik artisans and embroiderers, have become popular destinations for visitors seeking to escape from busy city life or learn more about…
-
Mountain Weaves – Building Livelihoods
The mountains of North India are a perfect getaway from the bustle, pollution and heat of the cities. And you can easily reach them from Delhi. I travelled up to the small village of Kasiyalekh in the Himalayan foothills, in the state of Uttarakhand to visit a social enterprise called Kumaun Grameen Udyog (KGU). I took a 5 hour train from Delhi to Kathgodam (you can go from here or the near-by larger town of Haldwani) and then a bus which skillfully wound its way up the steep and narrow lanes running up the mountain for about three and a half hours. I was greeted at the bus stop at…
-
The role of traditional crafts in contemporary India: an interview with Rahul Jain
Feature Image: Drawloom for patterned silk velvet, Rahul Jain’s workshop, Varanasi, 2015. Photo courtesy Textile Art of India, New Delhi ‘I describe my work as a continuation of a heritage, a legacy, that is 2,000 years old’ (Rahul Jain, personal communication, June 2016) I had known about Rahul Jain’s work for a while, read some of his huge range of extensively researched books on Indian, Iranian and Turkish textiles, desperately trying to understand the complex weaves they document, and had heard about his inspiring work reviving ancient weaving techniques in Varanasi. An interview with the weaving connoisseur published by Live Mint revealed some of his views on craftsmanship and crafts in India,…
-
Kharad Weaving of Kachchh
A display of geometic and pictorial patterned dhurries adorns the walls of weaver Tejsibhai Dhana Marwada in the village of Sanjotnagar, near Bhuj in Kutch,. Woven into the kharad (Sindhi word for carpet) on the most basic and ancient of looms, are the stories of these weavers’ lives and experiences. Some of these narrative pieces were initiated by Carole Douglas for her exhibition Zindagi jo Vanat – The Weave of Life. Tejsi explained to us the stories depicted in the pieces. One tells of the Marwada Meghwal community migration. They came to Kachchh from Marwad in Rajasthan about 600 years ago, hence their name Marwada which accords a sustained sense…
-
The Charm of Chanderi
In Ashok Nagar district in northern Madhya Pradesh state, nestled in hills, surrounded by forests and lakes and scattered with historic monuments, is the charming town of Chanderi. It is one of two towns in the state famous for its weaving heritage – the other is Maheshwar, which you can read about here. I took the awkward journey from Maheshwar where I was staying long term for my research, which involved a bus to Indore, a delayed train from Indore to Ashoknagar and from there a local bus along badly maintained roads (or damaged by recent rains), to Chanderi. At one point we passed a bus that had tipped off…
-
Review: London Antique Textiles Fair
The Textile Society’s Antique Textile Fair which was held at Chelsea Old Town Hall on Sunday 4th October had its usual vast treasure trove of textile delights. I’ve gathered some images and stories of a few of my favourites here: The featured image above is of some vintage Frazadas from Peru. Sue Richardson of Gallery 196 tells me these pieces are made and used in the Andes as blankets or rugs to keep the chill out. They take up to 3 months to make and are traditionally woven by hand on a back strap loom in two pieces, which are then decoratively sewn together and edged. Alongside these Gallery 196 have many much-loved kantha quilts, embroidered…
