"Salt: The Great March II" an art exhibition by Shelly Jyoti at Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex, Main Building, India International Centre (IIC), Lodhi Estate > 3rd to 15th September 2014
Time :
3rd September : 6:30 pm Add to Calendar 03-09-2014 18:30:00 03-09-2014 20:00:00 68 Salt: The Great March II" an art exhibition by Shelly Jyoti Event Page : http://goo.gl/p0Hpo7 Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex, Main Building, India International Centre (IIC), 40 Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi-110003 DD/MM/YYYY - Inauguration by Smt Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee
4th to 15th September : 11:00 am - 7:00 pm Add to Calendar 04-09-2014 11:00:00 15-09-2014 19:00:00 68 Salt: The Great March II" an art exhibition by Shelly Jyoti Event Page : http://goo.gl/p0Hpo7 Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex, Main Building, India International Centre (IIC), 40 Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi-110003 DD/MM/YYYY - Exhibition on View
6th & 13th September : 4:00 pm - Gallery walk by the artist
Entry : Free
Note : Call 011-24619431 (IIC) to re-confirm any last minute change or cancellation of the event.
Venue : Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex, Main Building, India International Centre (IIC), 40 Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi-110003
Venue Info : Events | About | Map | Nearest Metro Stations - 'Khan Market(Vilolet Line)' & 'Jor Bagh(Yellow Line)'
Area : Lodhi Road Area Events
Event Description : "Salt: The Great March II" Re-contextualising Ajrakh textile traditions on Khadi in contemporary art and craft Textile installations, art works, clothing and spoken poetry video art By Shelly Jyoti.
The show will include site-specific textile (khadi fabric) installations, garments with ajrakh printing, paintings that document 21st century textile traditions of India using clothing samplers, twenty four artworks utilizing Ajrakh textile traditions and a spoken poetry video film.
Talking about why she has been attracted to the Ajrakh tradition, Jyoti says: “Ajrakh is one of the oldest types of block printing on textiles still practiced in parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan. This is a centuries-old craft practiced by Khatris, characterized by its complex geometrical patterns, its use of natural dyes and its skilled, extensive production process. The patterns share similarities with ancient Indus Valley Civilization patterns, and the patterns of medieval cloths traded along the Indian Ocean route. The partition of India and Pakistan hugely affected the practice and trading of block-printed textiles. Many families were split up over the two countries, and displaced into new surroundings. I personally feel responsible towards the craft as I feel heritage should be preserved and documented through visual art works.”
For instance, the site specific installation titled Integrating khadi, made of 30 meters of 8 ply khadi and printed with Sanskrit calligraphy, expresses the Gandhian concept of promoting the production of khadi in villages to create economic independence of what was then a predominantly agrarian society. Explains Jyoti: “Khadi production was predicted to support debt-ridden farmers and make them self-sufficient. The expansion of rural industry through khadi production has not however occurred due to large-scale industrialization in the textile sector which resulted in large-scale automation and the use of synthetic fibers. I am exploring that if the urban population pledges to buy and wear khadi as one’s duty, can this action of swadharmabring a revolution and bridge the rural and urban gap?” Hence in this work, Jyoti explores the act of wearing khadi as a symbol of national pride in the 21st century. The installation, in its formal and technical organization tries to emulate the brisk walking of Gandhi and his volunteers surging on towards Dandi and the shape of sails also implies the kinetic feel that she adds to this site specific installation.
In Timeless Silhouettes: Angrakhas, a series of five garment-based artworks (paintings with Ajrakh pattern) Jyoti captures the techniques and patterns of Ajrakh textile traditions on khadi to document what women wear in a 21st century classic style. The five different contemporary silhouettes as artworks have an influence of Mughal period and were historically known as Angrakha and Jama style which was worn by men during the Mughal period in medieval India.
In Timeless silhouettes: Blouses, a series of seven, different silhouettes of blouses worn by contemporary women in India, Jyoti is documenting the blocks used by Ajrakh printers of Ajrakpur in Bhuj, Gujarat. She says, “The blocks used in these artworks are 400 year old patterns and share similarities with ancient Indus Valley Civilization patterns especially the Fostat block which has historical reference to textile pieces found and excavated at Fostat (old Cairo), dated to the 14th Century AD. Some of these patterns of medieval cloths were traded along the Indian Ocean route.”
Allow me to Grow without Fear, an Ajrakh baby frock/dress is an installation expressing the constant fear of a girl child and her desire to grow up without fear or inhibitions, including the threat of rape, molestation or sexual assault. “Through these works I explore the possibilities of establishing alternative societies where Gandhian ideals of swadharma and sarvodya could provide hope for individuals and raise them to the higher moral and ethical plane.”
Apart from the above, works like the sculptural Charkhas and The Threads of Swaraj also express Jyoti’s aim to focus on swaraj.
Salt: The Great March II is a sequel project to Salt: The Great March I which was exhibited at Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi in Sept-Oct 2013. The Salt March series II, like its first edition, explores salt as a symbol of non-violence. The project is inspired by the Gandhian theory of satyagraha – a challenge to one’s own truth with stress on self-purification, self-examination and self-assessment. Satyagraha stimulates our conscience and soul searching for the uplift of all (sarvodaya). These works further explore the practice of nonviolence, tolerance, peace and harmony through the narratives of swadeshi politics. The “Salt” series draws upon the history of India’s colonial past and Mahatma Gandhi’s 1930 Dandi March, which began the Salt Satyagraha and became an important part of the Indian independence movement.
“I explore and construct selected period histories along with related socio-economic and political inquires regarding issues of representation and identity. While my work draws upon India’s colonial past, it also engages with contemporary artistic and economic interchanges by means of my collaborations with artisans and non-profit organizations. Hence khadi fabric becomes my canvas as a mode of expression. Ajrakh printing and dyeing become my tools or brushes to express my feelings.”
Like she worked with Ajrakh artisans of Bhuj for her last show, Jyoti continues to work with artisans and craftspeople for her current art outing. For this show, she has worked with the family of late Mohammed Siddik, the ninth generation of Khatris in Dhamadka. “I work with Junaid Ismail khatri, son of Ismail Mohmd Khatri. Junaid graduated in 2006 from KRV school of design. I have been working with them since 2009 as a visual artist to create my artworks.”
“To me, textiles created for artwork performs a great sense of preservation as a visual medium for documentation purpose than compared to functional textiles. Both have symbolic purposes. My artwork challenges me to apply this vision of traditional pattern block and colour in the context of a socially and environmentally responsible design practice. Through my contemporary design motifs and presentation, I strive to present the viewer with a heritage so rich and colour so historically meaningful, in today’s context of technique and its conservation,” she sums up.
The show will travel to The Museum DakshinaChitra in Chennai from October 2 till November 2, 2014 and has also been invited by Gandhi Memorial Centre Washington DC in 2015.
Related Events : Exhibitions
3rd September : 6:30 pm Add to Calendar 03-09-2014 18:30:00 03-09-2014 20:00:00 68 Salt: The Great March II" an art exhibition by Shelly Jyoti Event Page : http://goo.gl/p0Hpo7 Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex, Main Building, India International Centre (IIC), 40 Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi-110003 DD/MM/YYYY - Inauguration by Smt Tara Gandhi Bhattacharjee
4th to 15th September : 11:00 am - 7:00 pm Add to Calendar 04-09-2014 11:00:00 15-09-2014 19:00:00 68 Salt: The Great March II" an art exhibition by Shelly Jyoti Event Page : http://goo.gl/p0Hpo7 Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex, Main Building, India International Centre (IIC), 40 Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi-110003 DD/MM/YYYY - Exhibition on View
6th & 13th September : 4:00 pm - Gallery walk by the artist
Entry : Free
Note : Call 011-24619431 (IIC) to re-confirm any last minute change or cancellation of the event.
Venue : Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex, Main Building, India International Centre (IIC), 40 Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Estate, New Delhi-110003
Venue Info : Events | About | Map | Nearest Metro Stations - 'Khan Market(Vilolet Line)' & 'Jor Bagh(Yellow Line)'
Area : Lodhi Road Area Events
The show will include site-specific textile (khadi fabric) installations, garments with ajrakh printing, paintings that document 21st century textile traditions of India using clothing samplers, twenty four artworks utilizing Ajrakh textile traditions and a spoken poetry video film.
Talking about why she has been attracted to the Ajrakh tradition, Jyoti says: “Ajrakh is one of the oldest types of block printing on textiles still practiced in parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan. This is a centuries-old craft practiced by Khatris, characterized by its complex geometrical patterns, its use of natural dyes and its skilled, extensive production process. The patterns share similarities with ancient Indus Valley Civilization patterns, and the patterns of medieval cloths traded along the Indian Ocean route. The partition of India and Pakistan hugely affected the practice and trading of block-printed textiles. Many families were split up over the two countries, and displaced into new surroundings. I personally feel responsible towards the craft as I feel heritage should be preserved and documented through visual art works.”
For instance, the site specific installation titled Integrating khadi, made of 30 meters of 8 ply khadi and printed with Sanskrit calligraphy, expresses the Gandhian concept of promoting the production of khadi in villages to create economic independence of what was then a predominantly agrarian society. Explains Jyoti: “Khadi production was predicted to support debt-ridden farmers and make them self-sufficient. The expansion of rural industry through khadi production has not however occurred due to large-scale industrialization in the textile sector which resulted in large-scale automation and the use of synthetic fibers. I am exploring that if the urban population pledges to buy and wear khadi as one’s duty, can this action of swadharmabring a revolution and bridge the rural and urban gap?” Hence in this work, Jyoti explores the act of wearing khadi as a symbol of national pride in the 21st century. The installation, in its formal and technical organization tries to emulate the brisk walking of Gandhi and his volunteers surging on towards Dandi and the shape of sails also implies the kinetic feel that she adds to this site specific installation.
In Timeless Silhouettes: Angrakhas, a series of five garment-based artworks (paintings with Ajrakh pattern) Jyoti captures the techniques and patterns of Ajrakh textile traditions on khadi to document what women wear in a 21st century classic style. The five different contemporary silhouettes as artworks have an influence of Mughal period and were historically known as Angrakha and Jama style which was worn by men during the Mughal period in medieval India.
In Timeless silhouettes: Blouses, a series of seven, different silhouettes of blouses worn by contemporary women in India, Jyoti is documenting the blocks used by Ajrakh printers of Ajrakpur in Bhuj, Gujarat. She says, “The blocks used in these artworks are 400 year old patterns and share similarities with ancient Indus Valley Civilization patterns especially the Fostat block which has historical reference to textile pieces found and excavated at Fostat (old Cairo), dated to the 14th Century AD. Some of these patterns of medieval cloths were traded along the Indian Ocean route.”
Allow me to Grow without Fear, an Ajrakh baby frock/dress is an installation expressing the constant fear of a girl child and her desire to grow up without fear or inhibitions, including the threat of rape, molestation or sexual assault. “Through these works I explore the possibilities of establishing alternative societies where Gandhian ideals of swadharma and sarvodya could provide hope for individuals and raise them to the higher moral and ethical plane.”
Apart from the above, works like the sculptural Charkhas and The Threads of Swaraj also express Jyoti’s aim to focus on swaraj.
Salt: The Great March II is a sequel project to Salt: The Great March I which was exhibited at Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts, New Delhi in Sept-Oct 2013. The Salt March series II, like its first edition, explores salt as a symbol of non-violence. The project is inspired by the Gandhian theory of satyagraha – a challenge to one’s own truth with stress on self-purification, self-examination and self-assessment. Satyagraha stimulates our conscience and soul searching for the uplift of all (sarvodaya). These works further explore the practice of nonviolence, tolerance, peace and harmony through the narratives of swadeshi politics. The “Salt” series draws upon the history of India’s colonial past and Mahatma Gandhi’s 1930 Dandi March, which began the Salt Satyagraha and became an important part of the Indian independence movement.
“I explore and construct selected period histories along with related socio-economic and political inquires regarding issues of representation and identity. While my work draws upon India’s colonial past, it also engages with contemporary artistic and economic interchanges by means of my collaborations with artisans and non-profit organizations. Hence khadi fabric becomes my canvas as a mode of expression. Ajrakh printing and dyeing become my tools or brushes to express my feelings.”
Like she worked with Ajrakh artisans of Bhuj for her last show, Jyoti continues to work with artisans and craftspeople for her current art outing. For this show, she has worked with the family of late Mohammed Siddik, the ninth generation of Khatris in Dhamadka. “I work with Junaid Ismail khatri, son of Ismail Mohmd Khatri. Junaid graduated in 2006 from KRV school of design. I have been working with them since 2009 as a visual artist to create my artworks.”
“To me, textiles created for artwork performs a great sense of preservation as a visual medium for documentation purpose than compared to functional textiles. Both have symbolic purposes. My artwork challenges me to apply this vision of traditional pattern block and colour in the context of a socially and environmentally responsible design practice. Through my contemporary design motifs and presentation, I strive to present the viewer with a heritage so rich and colour so historically meaningful, in today’s context of technique and its conservation,” she sums up.
The show will travel to The Museum DakshinaChitra in Chennai from October 2 till November 2, 2014 and has also been invited by Gandhi Memorial Centre Washington DC in 2015.
"Salt: The Great March II" an art exhibition by Shelly Jyoti at Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex, Main Building, India International Centre (IIC), Lodhi Estate > 3rd to 15th September 2014
!["Salt: The Great March II" an art exhibition by Shelly Jyoti at Art Gallery, Kamaladevi Complex, Main Building, India International Centre (IIC), Lodhi Estate > 3rd to 15th September 2014]()
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Monday, September 15, 2014
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