New Delhi, May 19 (PTI): An exhibition celebrating Ajrakh, the centuries-old block-printing textile tradition, was inaugurated at the National Crafts Museum and Hastkala Academy here on the occasion of International Museum Day.
Titled "Ajrakh: The Blue Gold" and curated by Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI) president Sunil Sethi and his team, the exhibition traces the craft's journey from its roots in Kutch to its contemporary applications in Indian fashion and design.
The exhibition was inaugurated on Sunday by Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), Ministry of Textiles, and M Beena, Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles.
The display brings together works by textile artists, master craftsmen and fashion designers, highlighting both the traditional foundations and the contemporary evolution of the craft, a press release said.
It features an experimental collection on Khadi by textile artist Shelly Jyoti, a modal silk ensemble by master craftsman Khalid Amin Khatri, and garments by FDCI designers including Anju Modi, who has worked Ajrakh on linen, and Rajesh Pratap Singh, who presents Ajrakh sarees on Kota textile.
Works by designers Divya Sheth and Sonia Jetleey are also on display.
Raj said Ajrakh reflected extraordinary craftsmanship, sustainable practices, and generations of artisanal knowledge.
"This exhibition is a tribute to the master artisans and designers who continue to preserve and reinterpret this timeless textile language for newer audiences and future generations," she said.
Sethi described Ajrakh as a craft he had long admired for its "remarkable precision, depth of process, and enduring beauty."
"Sustained by a limited number of master weavers and artisans, it continues to inspire a large number of our FDCI fashion designers who are thoughtfully incorporating this textile tradition into their contemporary collections," he added.
The exhibition is hosted at the Innovation Gallery, an FDCI initiative envisioned as a space for rotating exhibitions connecting traditional craft with contemporary artistic expression. It will remain open to the public for one month at the museum in Pragati Maidan.
(PTI)
This report was published from a syndicated wire feed. Apart from the headline, the EdexLive Desk has not edited the copy.
