Artist, curator, and travel entrepreneur Julie Kagti on the changing landscapes of the North East
Inspired by her grandmother’s weaving lessons, Assamese artist, art curator, and travel entrepreneur Julie Kagti forayed into the creative world of textiles out of sheer passion. We speak to her on the sidelines of the recently concluded exhibition at 47 A in Mumbai.
Excerpts:
You were the curator and exhibitor at ‘Feeling through Fibre’. Tell us about it
This is my first curatorial show and I am thrilled with the response. Having spent a lot of time working in the field of textiles and fibres, it seemed natural to include those elements. The theme is about expressing emotions and I was looking for storytellers who create their tales. Coming from the north east, where women are involved in weaving, I identify a lot with women weavers and artisans. Hence, approaching them came naturally to me.
My artworks are hand-woven tapestry techniques, using excess stock yarns that I collect or buy from factories, second yarn stores, or sari weavers. In most of the pieces, I have used the wood that frames the piece as the loom itself. Each piece represents metaphors about communities and people evolving with time.
What kind of mediums do you like to work with?
Hand weaving or knotting remains constant. I experiment with various materials and abstract forms. But for commissioned works, I add structure forms, as per the brief.
How has your journey evolved your craft?
Constant practice sensitises me to working with my hands, develop patience in the process, and understand that a lot of trials are required to be able to get clarity on how and what I want to express. It has made me very appreciative of artisans working with different mediums.
Tell us about your initiative, Curtain Call Adventures
Curtain Call Adventures started in 2017 to showcase the authentic culture and craft immersive tours, with a lot of interactions with local communities and mild rustic walks that enabled visitors to go beyond spectator tourism.
We believe that each tour should benefit the local community and enable them to preserve their traditional practices, food, weaving, herbal medicines, and indigenous performances.
It has attracted people who like slow travel and want to understand the local nuances of the indigenous communities. A lot of interest is shown to attend rural community festivals, family holidays, and to learn an art form.
In the last two years, we have hosted about 700 guests and enabled small enterprises, guides, artisans in about 10 communities to earn an income.
While you are trying to take northeast to a national level, what is the generic reaction or questions that you face?
The awareness is increasing, but some doubts still persist. The northeast is not one but eight states with different communities and topography. Questions on the availability of vegetarian food or travel safety are common.
Has the northeast still not been given its cultural and artistic due on the national map?
It is emerging and a lot of effort has been put in by social and government sectors to bridge the gap. Due to social media, more information is available on cultural practices and traditional art forms. Recently, Moidams in Assam have been inscribed on the UNESCO World heritage list. The annual Hornbill Festival in Nagaland, and the Ziro Music Festival in Arunachal Pradesh are bringing the northeast on the national cultural map. Artists like Sony Thokchom, award-winning weaver cum designers like Anuradha Pegu, and writers like Janice Pariat, and Mamang Dai are being recognised. I think in the next few years, we will be seeing more.
How does the northeast embrace modernity while being traditionally rooted?
The change or transition is relatively new. There is a deep consciousness about coexisting with the environment as most communities are agrarian. Traditional outfits are still worn daily, though a fusion has evolved with younger women opting for shine through silver or gold lurex incorporated into traditionally woven mekhlas and sarongs.
New restaurants and cafés are mushrooming all over the region that offer contemporary takes on traditional dishes and ingredients.
Music used to be traditional folk or western, but now artists like Bipul Chettri, Mao and Abenla of Abiogenesis , and Reemboo Longthen have set the trend for a new genre of contemporary fusion music which is very popular.
All is not rosy, as villages turn into urban concrete jungles. But even then, except for pockets of disputes, the northeast has not seen such a long stretch of peace as it has in the past few years.