MAP's exhibition Painted Stitches, Woven Stories traces the history and influences of tie and dye crafts

The online showcase takes a closer look at ikat, bandhani and leheriya 
Ikat sari
Ikat sari

The influence of tie and dye textiles on world history is not small. Dating back to China’s Sui dynasty in the 5th century AD, the technique evolved and spread across the globe and came to be known as shibori in Japan, jumputan and ikat in Indonesia, bandhani in India and mudmee in Thailand. Of course, each version was unique and distinct, but the craft held major value and could potentially cause conflict. For instance, certain kinds of ikat were a sin to be gifted to a king, and some other kinds of the fabric were considered powerful enough to give its wearer supernatural abilities. 

Bandhani sari
Bandhani sari

The second iteration of Painted StitcheThs, Woven Stories, an online exhibition series by Museum of Art and Photography, takes a deep dive into the history of these craft techniques and traces their journey through the centuries. “We were talking about textiles and contemporary art together and the idea of telling stories through textiles and bringing them together with contemporary artists really interested us. In our series of exhibitions, Painted Stitches, Woven Stories, we’ve taken an approach of speculation in which we use audio, text, animation and illustration to design an experience that people can navigate in multiple ways. The digital space also allows us to implement accessibility features more easily,” says Arnika Ahldag who has curated the showcase along with Vaishnavi Kambadur.

On the dot
The exhibition, which explores the techniques of bandhani, ikat and leheriya, comprises preserved textiles from the 19th century, photographic prints, paintings, contemporary art and a video work by contemporary artist Raisa Kabir. There are also audio pieces that interpret the textile arts through the lens of history and through speculation (for instance the hidden meaning of various patterns).  “The relationship between food and fabric is fascinating and the exhibition audio also talks about how dal, mustard seeds and rice are used to make bandhani, and reveals that the patterns are named after foods, such as jalebi, laddoo, daana and bundi,” explains Arnika. 

Patterns and prints
Some of the most interesting pieces on display include a single or warp ikat robe woven in Uzbekistan in the late 19th to early 20th century, a silk patola ceremonial cloth made in Gujarat and traded in the 19th century to the Indonesian market and a blouse with both bandhani and leheriya details from the 20th century. “With this series, our aim is to  broaden the understanding of textiles in combination with contemporary textile art, motifs, weaves and dyeing processes, and also to highlight the labour that goes into producing textiles, the use of the entire body (from fingernails to make bandhani to weaving on a backstrap loom), to trace occurrences of textiles across the collection, in paintings and photographs,” says Arnika in conclusion.

The exhibition can be viewed online.
 

Related Stories

No stories found.
Indulgexpress
www.indulgexpress.com