IFA@Delhi: atoot dor - Opening of Exhibition at National Museum | February 25, 2016

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India Foundation for the Arts (IFA)
in collaboration with
National Museum
is proud to present
atoot dor
Unbroken Thread : The Banarasi Brocade Sari at Home and in the World
an exhibition curated by
Abeer Gupta, Suchitra Balasubrahmanyan & Dr Anamika Pathak

Preview & Inauguration on Thursday | February 25, 2016 | 05:30 PM
On view between February 25 to April 25, 2016
National Museum, Janpath, New Delhi - 1100011

Abeer Gupta and Suchitra Balasubrahmanyan received a fellowship from IFA, in collaboration with the National Museum, New Delhi, to engage with the Decorative Arts Department, and re-stage their collection of brocade saris, from Banaras. Banarasi Brocade Saris of richly patterned silks, embellished with gold and silver threads, represent the acme of the subcontinent's hand-weaving skills. This exhibit displays a range of Banarasi saris, and traces their origins, repertoire, and contemporary expressions.

About the Collection
The National Museum has a significant collection of brocade saris representing all the regions of the subcontinent, some of which date back to the late-nineteenth century. Within this collection is a notable group of saris from Banaras, exemplifying the many distinctive techniques, and motifs special to this north Indian town. A selection from this collection of Banarasi saris forms the core of this exhibit, providing a springboard for the exploration of the sari as both a textile for personal adornment, and as a cultural artifact produced, circulated, and consumed at home, and in the world.

Abeer is an Assistant Professor, at the School of Design, Ambedkar University, Delhi. He is a graduate of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, and received his masters in visual anthropology from Goldsmiths College, London. Abeer has worked as an executive producer of features, and as a director of documentaries in Bombay. Since 2009, he has worked extensively in Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir, with oral histories, material cultures, and visual archives.

Suchitra is an Associate Professor, at the School of Design, Ambedkar University, Delhi. She is a graduate of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad, with a PhD in History from CEPT University, Ahmedabad. Suchitra's design practice has centred on social communication design, exploring a variety of issues ranging from women's health, child rights, primary education, minority rights, communalism, and globalisation in rural and urban India.

For more on the National Museum, their collections, and ongoing exhibitions, please visit:http://www.nationalmuseumindia.gov.in/

The Archival & Museum Fellowship of IFA supports creative practitioners to engage with archival and museum collections and re-present them through a new framework.