Site specific installation
Ajrakh: The Showers of Celebration
VASTRAM: Splendid World of Indian Textiles Curated by Shelly Jyoti
40 feet high
App 300 textile buttons made of Ajrakh printed and dyed
8 inches diameter structured buttons
Ajrakh printed reversible structured long jacket, kids wear frock
Oman Avenues Mall, Muscat, Oman
2015
The installation ‘Ajrakh :The showers of celebration’ is a site specific created by visual artist and curator Shelly Jyoti in celebration of sixty years of India and Oman friendship for Embassy of India in Muscut, Oman at Oman Avenues Mall
The installation is of app 300 sculptural buttons hanging with 3000 year old printing called Azrakh from Bhuj, Gujarat India also maps the traditional and contemporary textile traditions.
The objective of this installation is celebrations and to document the craft of Ajrakh printing and record the changes that have come about in its manufacturing process, colours and motif. Ajrakh, traditionally a double sided resist block printed cotton textile.The use of azrak printing on cotton fabric utilizes indigo techniques, which are used by khatris, the immigrants from Sindh and Baluchistan who came to india during 1600 C.E.
The textile buttons have sculptural qualities, discernible in the way that hangs at different site specific, suggest the idea of fabric and thread sewn together symbolising connections between memories, people and times of 60 years of love and friendship between to countries.
In all cultures, rich symbolism arises from the use of textiles in their domestic and ceremonial roles. Textile objects readily evoke memories, past experiences and physical and cultural associations. They consequently play a particularly powerful role in helping to contextualize objects and also encourage haptic responses.
Above image : Spread on the floor before beginning to hang from 40 feet high foyer at Avenues Mall
More images to be uploaded soon