This Textile Exhibition in Jodhpur Ignites Conversation on India’s Culture of Handmade

SURFACE, spread across multiple venues in Jodhpur, revisits India’s storied crafts through contemporary and thought-provoking editions.

When you stand atop the Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur, and view the famed sea of blue roofed houses, you feel small against the might of India’s past. The history of this country – and its breadth of art and culture – is so vast, and so beautiful to absorb, that it cannot be spanned in one attempt.

Ashdeen Z. Lilaowala Surface Jodhpur
Ashdeen Z. Lilaowala at SURFACE, Jodhpur

Handpicking one subject, and delving into it with full mirth and intellect, curator Mayank Mansingh Kaul, and designer Reha Sodhi, collaborated to present SURFACE, a first-of-its-kind exhibition in India that focuses on the art of contemporary textile embellishment. Hosted in the royal blue city of Jodhpur, this unique art exhibition is jointly presented by the Sutrakala Foundation, in association with the Jodhpur (JDH) Urban Regeneration project.

The genesis of SURFACE

The works showcased in this exhibition study textiles like a life form, presenting its various avatars – whether patterned, moulded, shaped or sculpted through hand embroidery, appliqué and other forms of yarn and material manipulation.

Chamba Rumal Revival by Delhi Crafts Council Surface Jodhpur
Chamba Rumal Revival by Delhi Crafts Council at SURFACE, Jodhpur

“At Sutrakala, we believe in the transformative power of design, where surface embellishment and embroidery transcend tradition to become extraordinary mediums of art. I wanted to create something meaningful that could showcase the boundless possibilities of embroidery as art,” said Shon Randhawa, founder of Sutrakala Foundation.

With over 20 participating makers, the presentation includes almost 60 works and installations. Accompanied by a catalogue and a series of collateral events, the exhibition is being staged across three venues around the picturesque stepwell, Toorji ka Jhalra, in the walled-city area of Jodhpur. It is also an exploration of adaptive conservation — the reuse and contextualisation of heritage buildings for contemporary, creative purposes. And that is what Jodhpur (JDH) Urban Regeneration project is best at.

Ghiora Aharoni SURFACE Jodhpur
Ghiora Aharoni at SURFACE, Jodhpur

“Against the magnificent setting of the historical architecture and stark landscape of Jodhpur, the exhibits presented in SURFACE celebrate the enduring charm of embroideries and surface embellishment at their best – as textures, drawings, paintings, installations and sculptures. At a time when such forms of Indian contemporary textiles have achieved a high level of innovation and hand craftsmanship, the exhibition suggests that we pause and consider their merit beyond fashion, apparel, home furnishings and objects for interiors,” said Mr. Kaul. He is a New Delhi-based independent researcher, writer and curator with a focus on postcolonial histories of Indian textiles.

Ms. Randhawa mentions the starting point of the exhibition – “The journey began years ago with a piece I saw at Mayank’s show, and that moment sparked the idea for Sutrakala…Today, I’m thrilled to unveil SURFACE, our first curated show, which marks the culmination of this dream and our dedication to celebrating the timeless beauty of textile art.”

Jean Francois Lesage for Lesage Interiors SURFACE Jodhpur
Jean-Francois Lesage for Lesage Interiors at SURFACE, Jodhpur

Pure textile art

The show begins with two floors of Achal Niwas, with stark white embroidered works using intricate threads on dissolvable sheets by Gurgaon and Goa-based visual artist Sumakshi Singh. These are accompanied by translucent panels, titled Soar, using Parsi Gara embroidery depicting exotic birds in flight by New Delhi-based designer Ashdeen Lilaowala. In similar vein, the floor also consists of five tent panels incorporating the idea of mehrabs, or arches, in the city by Jaipur-based textile artist Chinar Farooqui.

Then, there are a series of embroidered drawings which Mumbai-based sculptor Parul Thacker worked on while at a residency on the Arctic. Inspired by numbers and sacred geometry, the work explores the idea of sound waves as drawings. Bengaluru-based artist-designer Swati Kalsi focuses on Sujani embroidery, a traditional quilting art form from Bihar known for its intricate thread work and vibrant designs. The works were created in collaboration with local artisans after a series of workshops.

July Ancel x Kalahath Institute SURFACE Jodhpur
July Ancel x Kalahath Institute at SURFACE, Jodhpur

Moving to the next floor, one comes across six more works by Ms. Kalsi, comprising a contemporary reinterpretation of the stunning Chamba Rumal tradition. Each embroidered handkerchief has different themes, including marriage, raas, chess, celestial cow, forest and devi. New York-based architect, designer and artist Ghiora Aharoni showcases his drawings on Phulkari, the folk embroidery of Punjab. In his works, Mr. Aharoni also intersperses text taken from his mother’s diary which she wrote to her lovers at the age of 17.

Embroidery and textile artist Asif Shaikh uses sacred geometry patterns and chain stitch on pure, hand-woven silk from Thailand. One of his works, Woven Dreams, has studded rubies, peacock feathers and beetle-wing embroidery work using gold-plated silver thread developed in Benaras.

Karishma Swali x Chanakya School of Craft SURFACE Jodhpur
Karishma Swali x Chanakya School of Craft at SURFACE, Jodhpur

At the next venue, Anoop Singh ki Haveli, which even has two temples, one encounters rural, folk art by various communities. Rangbhoomi by Morii Designs presents colourful quilts made using kheta, a form of quilting from Bihar. Then, there are some beautiful works in cross stitch by Ami Shroff, along with her not-for-profit Shrujan, which works with up to 2,500 women from 12 farming communities in Kutch in Gujarat. The same floor also houses textiles created by communities involved with genres such as kantha from West Bengal and chikankari from Lucknow.

The third venue, Lakshmi Niwas, has possibly the most monumental work of the exhibition by Shine Shivan, using multiple techniques, such as embroidery and applique. An alumnus of the College of Art, Delhi, Mr. Shivan learnt taxidermy on YouTube, and began his phenomenal mixed media work, Kshetra Dhara, in 2013. Weighing 1,100 kilograms, it is made entirely using waste materials. The building also has two-dimensional sculptural jute weavings by Manish Nai as well as works using paper and board by artist Manisha Parekh. There is another powerful, feminine work using gold foil on a red cloth by Ms. Kalsi. Further, Mumbai-based designer Karishma Swali, in collaboration with the Chanakya School of Craft, displays a work called Aravalli, inspired by the hills surrounding Jodhpur.

Swati Kalsi, from the collection of Devi Art Foundation, SURFACe Jodhpur
Swati Kalsi, from the collection of Devi Art Foundation, at SURFACE, Jodhpur

The finale of the exhibition is a huge installation called Travelling Roots by Paris- and Chennai-based designer Jean-Francois Lesage. Made using thousands of wooden beads hand-painted in red and embroidered using metallic yarn, it is inspired by the Lal Dera, a 400 year old embroidered velvet Mughal tent, which came from Aurangzeb’s court, and is housed in the city’s Mehrangarh Fort.

Founded in 2023, SURFACE is Sutrakala Foundation’s first presentation of its kind. JDH, on the other hand, has been working since 2015 on the urban regeneration of Jodhpur, to resurrect the city to its former glory by breathing new life into its invaluable landmarks, and preserving livelihoods through the creative forces of design, technology, fashion and culture.

Shine Shivan left Swati Kalsi right
Shine Shivan (left) and Swati Kalsi (right) at SURFACE, Jodhpur

The curated artworks ignite a definitive conversation on Indian textiles and the various heritage crafts associated with it. Exploring the spread-out exhibition is not only satisfying, but thought-provoking, asking questions on the revival of India’s storied textile inheritance.

SURFACE is on view until February 23, 2025, at JDH, Jodhpur.

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