31 Jan – 9 Feb, 2020 | Indira Gandhi National Center for Arts, New Delhi
‘Swar Santati’; a mega arts and culture exhibition scheduled to showcase at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts. Bringing to life the Gandhian philosophy through creative interpretations by independent artists, designers and craftsmen, the highlight of the mammoth project is the stunning recreation of Raja Ravi Verma’s paintings on Khadi by textile revivalist and designer Gaurang Shah.
Coming together of arts and culture maven Lavina Baldota from Hampi of the Abheraj Baldota Foundation and renowned textile artist Gaurang Shah led to the conception of this idea. A first of its kind, this spectacular show will recreate paintings of artist Raja Ravi Varma on the canvas of Gandhi’s Khadi, not with a brush and paint but through intricate and complicated Jamdaani hand-weave, the yarns dyed in over 600 shades of vegetable dye, presenting it as an evolving aesthetic expression of wearable art on the pallu’s of sarees. Lavina’s grandfather, Shri Abheraj Baldota had the good fortune of being associated with the Mahatma during the freedom struggle. He had been a very important Gandhian influence in formulating the credo of the Baldota family and this naturally translated into Khadi becoming an integral part of her upbringing which led to a natural synergy between her and Gaurang for Khadi, a Canvas.
