The textiles presented in this exhibition were commissioned for Visvakarma, a series of exhibitions on Indian handmade textiles, between the early 1980s and ‘90s. This series was conceived under the aegis of the Festivals of India, cultural diplomacy initiatives between India and the world, to project diverse aspects of Indian culture and creativity. The title Visvakarma was inspired by a landmark essay of the same name, authored by the renowned historian of Indian and south Asian art, Ananda K. Coomaraswamy. The Visvakarma textiles were borne out of the dialogue among weavers, craftspeople, curators, master artisans, designers and artists across the country’s prominent textile producing centres. Those in the selection on view here were largely made in the Weavers Service Centres, popularly known as the WSCs, established by the Government of India, to enable experimentation in handmade cloth.

From such perspectives, ‘Vignette’ celebrates the work of chosen artists employed by the WSCs and their artistry. Equally, it highlights the role of public patronage in the support of handmade traditions. Keeping with their presentation at the National Gallery of Modern Art, India’s premier institution for modern and contemporary art, the sections of the exhibition move away from the tendency to show textiles through their techniques, in favour of the visual and aesthetic themes that they represent. It attempts to restart the conversation on what constitutes art and artistry, modernity and tradition. The textiles displayed at ‘Vignette’ nudge us to rethink and redefine conventional boundaries of material, medium and technique for an artist. In doing so, the exhibition marks the 25th year anniversary of its presenting organisation, the National Institute of Fashion Technology or NIFT in Bengaluru.