A Search in Five Directions (2018)
Story of the Making
A Search in Five Directions honoured the life and work of Padma Bhushan Late Shri Martand Singh, affectionately known as Mapu. The hand-crafted textiles displayed, were first shown in the Vishwakarma series (1981-1991). This show was presented by Devi Art Foundation and National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum, New Delhi, and curated by the industry stalwarts Rakesh Thakore, Rta Kapur Chishti and Rahul Jain. The title was chosen to reflect the five types of techniques exhibited in the show, namely pigment painting, dye painting, printing and weaving. Each of the Vishwakarma exhibitions attempted to explore the contemporary relevance of the inherited skills and products of India’s textiles and craftspeople.
Highlights
– The textiles made for these exhibitions covered a wide range of India’s traditional textile techniques, including pigment painting, dye-painting, resist-dyeing, printing, and weaving from centres across the country.
– Gallery One showcases textiles that were intended to project a strong classical or traditional sensibility, but at the same time suggest something more.
– The textiles selected for Gallery Two are those that attempt to create a future for India’s textile arts that had greatly declined in quality and competitiveness. The exhibits reflect contemporary explorations both in technique and aesthetics.
A Search in Five Directions
Textiles from the Vishwakarma Exhibitions
In Honour of Padma Bhushan Late Martand Singh (1947-2017)
National Handicrafts and Handlooms Museum, New Delhi in collaboration with Devi Art Foundation
