×

The Capital City Has A New Spot For Textile And History Enthusiasts

Indian Textiles Gallery II has been inaugurated at the National Crafts Museum with an exhibition titled ‘Tradition and Innovation’. Here’s what to know…

August 12, 2024 | 1:50 PM // By Neha Karra

To mark this year’s National Handloom Week, the National Crafts Museum and Hastakala Academy unveiled the Indian Textiles Gallery II. The new addition to the museum was inaugurated by the Hon’ble Minister of Textiles, Shri Giriraj Singh and Hon’ble Minister of State of Textile, Ms Pabitra Margherita.

Image Credit: FDCI

To celebrate and highlight the work of Indian craftsmen and the rich legacy of Indian textiles, the Fashion Design Council of India and renowned historian Jyotindra Jain came together to curate an exhibition at the newly-inaugurated gallery. 

The immersive exhibition also featured brocades, block prints, Kalamkari, resist-dyed fabrics, pieces woven by Vishwakarma Artisans and many long-forgotten versions of Indian weaves.

“I was delighted the FDCI got an opportunity to set up this exhibition. It took us over eight months to sift through the mammoth number of vintage artefacts and see which ones would fall into a distinct narrative. The most remarkable and innovative textiles, the sheer beauty of handwork and design thinking can be seen in this exhibit,” said FDCI Chairman Sunil Sethi.

Fashion and history enthusiasts need to add this gallery to their list of must-visit spots around the capital as the Indian Textiles Gallery II will continue to provide insights into the ever-evolving ethos of textiles. 

Image Credit: FDCI

It features an extensive array of textile categories, with almost 150 objects on display. The gallery also uses innovative museum standards for lighting and presentation, including specially designed LED lighting with sensors, dimmers enhancing the visual experience, while podiums, platforms, and toughened glass showcase the vintage textiles.

There will also be a dedicated area that will change every three months, and a new exhibition will be hosted showcasing the transformation of traditional textiles over the years. This time, designer Payal Jain’s retrospective of 30 years is on display.

Image Credit: Payal Jain

The installation, titled ‘Soul of a Women’, focussed on the highs and lows a woman goes through in her lifetime. The textile art featured the usage of scraps of natural fabric and discarded waste like wood, metal, ghungroos, bobbins, thimbles and beads while combining both using traditional weaving techniques like Bandhej, Kantha, and Crochet.

In addition to Payal Jain, renowned people of the fashion fraternity like David Abraham, Rakesh Thakore, JJ Valaya, Samant Chauhan, Anju Modi, and Rajesh Pratap Singh also paid a visit to the exhibition to showcase their support.

Image Credit: FDCI

Make your way to the National Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy at Pragati Maidan in Delhi to take in the display yourself.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Neha Karra is a junior writer, who loves to discover and try the latest trends in style, food and beauty. When she is not curating articles, you will find her playing with kids, reading books, painting and practising Mandala Art. View Profile