In the 25 years since designer Arati Monappa launched her brand, Label Arati, she has collected a wealth of fabric samples and saris that are fine examples of the innumerable crafts of the country. To mark crossing the 25-year milestone, Arati is all set to host Natural Dye Stories, an exhibition of naturally dyed unstitched pieces, some dating back to 1997. “It was a tough curation. I tried to choose pieces that were different to showcase the work of those no-so-well-known names who have gone a step further with experimentation with natural dyes,” shares Bengaluru-based Arati who has been advocating for natural dyes ever since she started her career.
The collection on display includes pieces created by Arati herself, in addition to commissioned pieces featuring various embroidery techniques. Talking about the most unique works to be showcased, Arati says, “A patan patola dupatta which is woven with the same process where the yarn has to be pre-dyed to create the pattern, an indigo dupatta which is woven with beetle wing embroidery, a sari woven in Varanasi with marigold-dyed yarn, etc. There are many special pieces.”
Featuring over 300 works, some of the techniques and crafts that Arati has focused on include shibori dyeing, leheriya and kalamkari on organic cotton, silk, chiffon and khadi cotton among others. “Having been in this field for over two decades, it was nice to see the kind of work that is being done today - pushing the envelope but still keeping the traditional crafts alive. That’s what we need for the crafts to survive,” she says in conclusion.
April 30 to May 3. At Bangalore International Centre, Domlur