The fabric of history: Indian textiles take center stage at Durban exhibition

The cosy Phansi Museum in Glenwood is kicking off the year with an intimate Pop Up Exhibition entitled 'Other Roots' showcasing textiles from Northern India.

Known for its local focus on indigenous art in southern Africa, the museum is extending its reach to international shores with a selection of hand made, embroidered and beaded textiles from India, Thailand and even Bhutan.

“The private collection on loan to Phansi Museum is about roots; who you are and where you come from,” says Sharon Crampton, Phansi Museum’s curator, referring to how the theme taps into the diversity of KwaZulu-Natal’s own people. “This exhibition will allow visitors the opportunity of looking at other roots,” she adds.

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Paul Mikula, the founder of Phansi Museum is well known for his animated tours of the little gallery and he tells me that this exhibition is in contrast with their usual displays of Nguni, Zulu, Sotho or Pondo art, which are modest and simple.

“That art is very geometric and focuses on order while this kind of art is bold, detailed and seemingly unordered,” he says using his arms to express his passion as he walks me through the exhibition.

The work varies from embroidery to beading, to a dyeing technique called ikat thought to have begun in Indonesia to patterned textiles.

Similar to South Africa, traditional artisans are mainly rural-based, oftentimes belonging to low socio-economic sectors of society. Their skills are learnt young or passed on through family members outside the mainstream educational system.

The textile industry is the second largest employment-generating sector in India and offers direct employment to over 35 million people in the country.

Cotton, silk and wool are the three materials from which Indian textiles are woven and the artisan communities in India, very much like southern African crafters, develop their crafts essentially from the use of natural resources readily available in their local environments.

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As with South Africa, the Indian art on display is quite often utilitarian in nature; there are decorated bags, hats, waistcoats, rifle holders and even detailed decorations for animals.

Some the painted pieces in the collection date back 80 or 90 years and the painstaking effort used to create them is clear - a long piece of beaded cloth decorated with gods, birds and animals stands out. Mikula tells me that it was used to decorate homes in Gujarat.

Mikula tells me that India is a culture of celebration and its art is representative of that. 'Other Roots' is exactly that; a celebration of our heritage in its many forms.

• The exhibition runs until February 18. Phansi Museum is at 500 Esther Roberts Road. Gallery is open Mondays to Fridays from 8am until 4pm, Saturdays, 10am to 2pm. Visit phansi.com

• This article was originally published in The Times.