In today’s global economy India’s ancient arts of handloom and rural weaving are in jeopardy. Threatened by demographic shifts and economic stresses, young weavers are abandoning the craft and migrating to urban centers in search of better livelihoods. WomenWeave Charitable Trust supports women in handloom weaving by teaching them ways to make this traditional art…
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For centuries the weavers of Kutch, the nomadic Rabaris, and the settled Ahirs worked together as a sustainable network of weavers, dyers, and clients. Each ethnic community had a unique range of fabrics, with different patterns and colours reflecting age, marital status and occasion. Today most traditional weaving products, such as dhabla blankets and women’s…
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Bandhani is a tie dye technique practiced in Gujarat and Rajasthan, Kutch being best-known as the center of its production. Experts believe the technique was brought to Kutch by Khatri craftsmen from Sindh, probably in the 16th century. Traditionally Khatris made bandhani only for themselves but today, women of all castes and religions wear bandhani…
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“I am an artist by blood and profession both,” says Abdul Majid, who learned block printing and textile design from his father, Abdul Rashid, their family having practiced the arts for over 300 years. It is assumed the art of printing designs on fabric originated in China over 4,500 years ago but it is in…
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This is the world’s best market. It’s a life changer for people back home and it is so important to preserving traditional craft forms
It gives my co-artists and me tremendous satisfaction and fulfillment to know that in our own small way we are doing our best to preserve the heritage of this city and our country
This project was the first in Nepal to tap the rich artistic ability of Maithil women of all castes, and pave the way for many more work opportunities.
In learning how to come together to dye a textile, those at Adiv, coming from many mixed communities, learn to work together. This is an important lesson for everyone in our challenging times.
In Hindi, the word Sudarshan means beautiful, and in the ancient district of Jaipur, India, Sudarshan is also the name of a thriving artist collective, which was founded by expert textile artisan Hemangini Singh with a goal of preserving and promoting traditional folk textiles. Singh collaborates with skilled craftsman to create a collection of handmade…
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Ismail and Juned Khatri are 9th and 10th generation textile artists practicing the traditional skill of hand block ajrakh printing. Their textiles are known for their jewel-like colors and geometric, floral, and architectural patterns. Innovation comes into their work with the addition of clamp dye and shibori stitching techniques to create dramatic designs. They have…
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India’s non-profit artist collective Stitch by Stitch is a vibrant community of highly skilled, energetically creative people, eager to preserve ancient artistic techniques while also sharing them to a worldwide audience. After falling love with India, Designer Graham Hollick founded Stitch by Stitch. “We work with traditional techniques and designs, which we gently and respectfully…
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The delicately detailed paintings of Naynaben Bhavsar comprise themes both timeless and universal. Hunting scenes, for example, are rendered in stark clarity, yet have an intriguing, innate sensitivity that transcends any one genre. Her prolific atelier also captures regional imagery of brightly adorned dancers, set against monochromatic backgrounds that allow the viewer to focus on…
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Janmamad Salemamad Luhar belongs to the Muslim Luhar community of Zura, where for generations, his family has made sturdy and beautiful iron-coated copper bells, many adorned with ancient geometric symbols and floral motifs. Luhar estimates that his family has been involved in bell making for more than three centuries. He first learned the craft from…
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