Somaiya Kala Vidya exhibition

I have been a die-hard fan of the amazing Judy Frater since decades, have been following her work in Kutch, Gujarat, through Kala Raksha. I have never had the luck of meeting her but have been her follower on Instagram and trying to keep up with the work done by the students of Somaiya Kala Vidya – it is similar to the Kala Raksha Vidhyalaya, of which she was the Founder Director from 2005.

When I finally got the chance to visit an exhibition showcasing the work of the graduating students of this university I rushed to it, at Mangalbagh Gallery, Ahmedabad. Thank you Sanchita Dasgupta for posting about it 🙂

The exhibition had fixed timings for presentation by each student and I managed to attend one of these. The insight into the entire concept, plan and final execution of the handmade textiles prepared by each student was explained by them. Believe it, the entire experience was mind blowing for me. The exhibition had the handmade textiles – ranging from tie and dye or ‘bandhani’ to woven rugs or ‘durries’ from sheep wool and even a sari made with the Mashru technique – for display and sale.

The names of the students who are feature here are, from top left: Ankita Harji Marwada, Siju Gautamsinh Jethabhai, Padhiyar Vilash, Amruta Babubhai Manodhiya, Bansari Shankar Marwada, Bashir and Sumaiya Sarfaraj Khatri. Their inspirations are from the desert, sand and cattle they see around them in their villages in Kutch and the course helped them find their own ways of depicting them.

Their stories are full of true grit and passion: Siju said he had studied for a diploma in Mechanical Engineering but as both his parents passed away he had to start working in a machinery firm. When he got married into a weaver’s family he was so attracted to weaving that he took up weaving, no one from his village or ancestry had ever woven before!!! Bansari said her father did not want her to go to school as girls from her village didn’t but her mother fought and got her enrolled. She would 3 kms each way just to study and when Covid closed the school she started helping her father to weave and after completing school she enrolled at Kala Raksha and today weaves just the most exquisite textiles. Sumaiya said how her father her tie and dye from the age of 11 and she learnt about colours from her husband – a dyeing expert – and how while delicately balancing home and the course at the university she created these textiles.

What makes them so confident?

The website says this https://www.somaiya-kalavidya.org/en/about-us/

“Somaiya Kala Vidya offers design and business education for artisans of Kutch using an approach based on existing traditions… works with artisans in establishing and articulating what they already know, and how they traditionally work. In affirming this and building upon it we identify the most effective path to our subsequent goals. SKV has established an approach of respect, sharing, and mutual teaching and learning. As much as possible, education is imparted utilizing traditional methods.”

So much thought, concern, empathy and forward thinking has gone into making Kala Raksha so unique, only a visionary like Judy Frater could create it. She came to India in 1970s for her studies and since then linked herself to the soil of India, Here is her story: https://www.ashoka.org/en-in/fellow/judy-frater

Of course, how could I leave without starting my own collection from the remarkable creations by these talents. The textiles also had some really beautiful Batik textiles. The best part of all the textiles is that each has the name and the contact details of their creator 🙂 Now we all know which destination to add to our travels when we visit Kutch 🙂

 

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