Sutr Santati exhibition pays homage to the diverse contemporary textiles of India

The Melbourne Museum has welcomed the international exhibition 'Sutr Santati: Then. Now. Next.'

Sutr Santati translates as 'continuity of yarn' with the exhibition exploring the endurance and sustainability of India’s rich textile heritage. Credit: SBS Hindi

Key Points

• A sample of India’s diverse textiles is currently on display at the Melbourne Museum where 75 pieces explore historical and contemporary contexts of Indian culture.
• According to the Minister for Creative Industries, there is something powerful about understanding another culture through media like art, in particular the medium of textiles.
• Melbourne Museum is inviting people to experience the world-class exhibition that showcases India’s contemporary artistic and creative landscape and reinforces the value of traditional Indian textiles.

Myriad craft creations from varied art forms across India are on display, highlighting diverse textile traditions created by prominent Indian artisans, craftspeople and designers.

“Though one may not touch the textiles in this exhibit, I am sure they will touch you, and they will speak to you,” said the curator of the Sutr Santati exhibition, Lavina Baldota, at its launch at the Melbourne Museum on 11 May.

Ms Baldota is the Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at the Abheraj Baldota Foundation which has partnered with Melbourne Museum to bring the Sutr Santati exhibition to Australia.

'Sutr Santati: Then. Now. Next.' is about the continuance and sustainability of India’s textile heritage and translates to 'continuity of yarn'.

The exhibition also celebrates 75 years of India’s independence with weaves that incorporate the rich history of handcrafted textiles in a contemporary way to reflect a modern India.

The Mata ni Pachedi textile captures various valued symbols and beliefs at the Sutr Santati exhibition. Credit: SBS Hindi

The textile industry of India has a glorious past, and its history can be traced back to over 5000 years ago. Today, the Indian textile industry is one of the driving factors that shape the country’s economy, society, and culture.

India is ranked among the top five global textile leaders and is the largest producer of cotton and jute in the world.

Besides the scope and scale of the textiles, it is the diversity of the weaves, the array of textiles and the variety of embroidery styles, spread across its 28 states, that define this vast country.

The Sutr Santati exhibition also celebrates 75 years of India's independence with 75 pieces on display at the Melbourne Museum. Credit: SBS Hindi

Exhibiting artists from India who were also present at the launch included Abishek Ganesh J. Kaimurai, Purvi Doshi, Gaurang Shah, Paresh Patel, Samira Shah and Manish Saksena. (Listen to the interviews with the artists in the above podcast)

From a handpainted and embroidered pashmina shawl to chikankari of Lucknow to gold zari and khadi panels, there are juxtapositions of tradition and modernity in the myriad craft on display.

During the launch event, state Minister for Creative Industries, Steve Dimopoulos, said that Sutr Santati was a powerful invitation to think about what the name meant.

According to the minister, there is something powerful about understanding another culture through media like art and, in particular, this medium of textiles.

Minister for Creative Industries, Steve Dimopoulos MP, during the launch of the Sutr Santati: Then. Now. Next. exhibition at Melbourne Museum on 11 May. Credit: SBS Hindi

“It is perhaps an invitation to think of the continuity of thread between our two countries. So, both democracies, large democracy (India), smaller democracy here (Australia), the connection we have, the threads we have in terms of the people-to-people links," he explained.

The Indian community in Australia has woven itself into the hearts and minds of Australians.

Steve Dimopoulos Victorian Minister for Creative Industries

“We all now celebrate as a general community, not just Indian Australians... we celebrate a bunch of festivals we didn’t celebrate previously from Holi to Diwali to other festivals."

He added that just as the state government was very proud to host the 75 works, the exhibition curators and artists should be equally proud to be hosted by the best museum globally, and definitely the best museum in Australia.

Sutr Santati curator, Lavina Baldota, displays her hand-woven sari during the exhibition's launch at the Melbourne Museum on 11 May. Credit: SBS Hindi

The Baldota family had travelled from India to attend the launch and were joined by museum staff, local arts enthusiasts and members of the Indian diaspora including the Consul General of India in Melbourne, Dr Sushil Kumar.

History and arts enthusiast, Mayuri Sanghvi from Prahran, who attended the launch, said she was grateful for the opportunity to see the stories of India woven through threads.

“The fact that the Museum could bring these artists and their work to Australia is amazing. Indian art is centuries old and these artisans have kept it alive and shaped it to reflect contemporary times. Witnessing these 75 pieces will teach far more about Indian textiles than reading books about it,” she said.

Mayuri Sanghvi, who attended the Sutr Santati exhibition launch, pictured here with Rohini Kappadath, General Manager, Immigration Museum. Credit: Supplied by Mayuri Sanghvi

Lynley Crosswell, Director and CEO, Museums Victoria, and Leon Kempler AO, President of the Museum’s Board of Victoria, also addressed the audience, inviting them to experience the world-class exhibition that showcased India’s contemporary artistic and creative landscape and reinforced the value of traditional Indian textiles.

Ms Baldota, who proudly displayed her intricately woven sari during the launch, shared how the curation of the exhibition had helped her to understand that the strength of a fabric came from resilience, its beauty from love and its intricacy from patience.

Tune into SBS Hindi at 5pm every day and follow us on Facebook and Twitter.