Showcasing the beauty of Indian weaves

An ongoing exhibition at the NGMA, Bengaluru, has textile lovers all over India swooning.

Cotton Pigment Handweaving (Dwarkanath Nathdwara, Rajasthan, 1986)

Woven flower hand weaving (Prabha Traders, Varanasi, 1981)

A close-up of Birds II in Dupion silk block printing (Amrut Patel, Nasir Khan and H A Jabbar 1991).

To celebrate its 25th anniversary, the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) has put together a rare and wonderful show that has textile lovers all over India swooning. Appropriately titled, “Vignette: Visvakarma Textiles: Art & Artistry,” the exhibition currently on at the National Gallery of Modern Art (NGMA) in Bengaluru, highlights the talents of the weavers across our country, and the role of the Weavers Service Centres (WSCs) in fostering their creativity. The exhibition takes its name from the first Vishwakarma exhibitions (the spelling of this show is different), that were held in the 80s. They highlighted the unparalleled talent of Indian weavers. To create this show, Susan Thomas, Director of NIFT and her team went to several museums in Delhi and Mumbai where these original textiles are stored and chose 25 pieces that could be viewed as “pieces of art.” The result is a rare glimpse into historic materials and also the talents of the creators.

Vishwakarma is both God and man, the divine architect of the Gods and the God of craftsmen, worshipped by all the artisanal communities, across the country. In 1909, scholar Ananda Coomaraswamy wrote an influential book called 'The Indian Craftsman'. In it, he talked about how Indian weavers see themselves as mediums rather than makers. This humility personified traditional Indian artisans who viewed Vishvakarma as the originator and creator of their work.

As Coomaraswamy says, “The craftsman is not an individual expressing individual whims, but a part of the universe, giving expression to ideals of beauty and unchanging laws much like the trees and flowers are expressing God-given beauty.” To properly experience the grandeur of these textiles, you must visit in person, spend an hour and commune with them.

The exhibition is on view till September 17 at the auditorium, National Gallery of Modern Art, Bengaluru.