Written by Jyoti Chauhan and Drishti Bhat
Coats worn by nobles, carpets and other textile and embroidery patterns from 19th Central Asia were on display at the Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum in Ahmedabad, in the exhibition titled Bukhara which opened on Friday.
The museum has collaborated with Shades of India, a textile tradition collective founded by David and Mandeep Hausigo.
During the tour, David, who was born in Iran, introduced visitors to ikat, Sozani, Bashir rugs and many other detailed fabrics. He described how each of these pieces represents a lifestyle and culture associated with ancient Central Asia. Among the most notable pieces was the embroidered “Bukhara shaban,” a robe worn by “kings and individuals of high status.” “They had layers of clothing underneath to denote rank,” David said.
The exhibits included hand-woven sheets inspired by Mughal gardens, water bodies, animals and flowers. Many designs include symbolic motifs such as the evil eye. Borders that had a unique significance in the culture. “These fabrics originated from Central Asia, China and Uzbekistan approximately 5,000 years ago,” David Hosigo told the media.
“The Silk Road is what connects us to Europe and Asia,” David said, detailing the “clear influence of Chinese and Malay styles” and how the tradition practically disappeared at the outbreak of World War I and then flourished again at the beginning of the 20th century.
“We have that rare talent with which we can bring back the past,” said Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum curator Jayshree Lalbhai, adding: “Some designs were specialized by distinct communities – for example, Jews were considered specialists in Bukhara.”
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When asked what inspired him to enter this field, David said: “I was born in Iran, and I grew up watching this kind of surroundings and how the market amazed me, how it was made and what were the ideas behind it, so I decided to get into this field and learn more.”
Explaining the art of ikat, Mandeep said: “Ikat is one of the oldest design styles in which threads are dipped in colored dye and patterns are created from it. Most of them were made by men and it is the most difficult and oldest design of all.”
The exhibition will be open until November 30.
(Jyoti Chauhan and Drishti Bhatt are interns in the Ahmedabad bureau of The Indian Express)
(Tags for translation)Kasturbhai Lalbhai Museum
