Ikat Panel -Installation

The Ikat textiles of Odisha are distinguished from those of Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh- Telangana through their curvilinear forms. Here, a large square panel borrows from the auspicious motif of the conch in Hinduism and Buddhism, as rendered in a saree in the collection of the Calico Museum of Textiles in Ahmedabad. A fringe of floral buds on all sides frames a field of repetitive motifs, a traditional -ritualistic practice to emphasise its talismanic value, as also to offer it in the spirit of the Visvakarma commissions, as an art work with non-religious, decorative values.

The double Ikat Patola panel is a fine example of geometry in textiles. The process of weaving with tie dyed yarns is a highly specialised skill, which has reached the acme of perfection in Patan in cluster. Woven by Chhotalal Salvi for the exhibition Ksetra, this brilliant panel showcases Chhabdi Bhaat (flower basket), a design in a medallion shape.