Talking Contemporary Interpretations
Image: Amy Revier.
A ticket to the Selvedge World Fair includes access to all of the fair's Talks (4 – 5 September 2020), a series of lectures and group discussions from some of the 100 artisans taking part. The topics covered in the talks are wide-ranging. From celebrating specific fibres, to preserving skills, to tackling tough challenges like cultural appropriation and sustainability. All talks take place on Zoom, in English and include time for audience questions. Here we take a look at the Contemporary Interpretations session where makers will tell us how they use traditional techniques to create products for a modern audience. Amy Revier (USA), Sanjay Garg (India) and Chinar Farooqui (India) will give us an insight into how they use traditional textile practices to create contemporary pieces that pivot on the edge between art and textiles. The presentations will be followed by a discussion and questions.
Amy Revier is a hand weaver. One of a new generation of design-makers working in fine art, fashion, design and craft. Amy studied art history and sculpture at university with a focus on the relationship between shape and performance. The correlation between her undergraduate interest and current practice seem obvious when you see her at work behind the loom; the process of weaving becomes a performance of making shapes in itself.
Image: Raw Mango 2019, Photographed by Avani Rai
Growing up in the village of Mubarikpur, Rajasthan - designer Sanjay Garg's appreciation for aesthetics began with the sensibilities of rural India. His unique textile language was realized through his work in Chanderi, enabled by the Textile Ministry and weavers of Madhya Pradesh. Committed to experimentation, he constantly engages with established rubric to imagine new possibilities for his brand Raw Mango. His innovations are grounded in tradition and reused with opinions rooted in India's dynamic cultural and political landscape.
Image: Summer 2019 Muslin postcards collection, courtesy of Injiri.
Chinar Farooqui launched her company Injiri as a clothing label in 2009. Injiri process centres around working closely with master weavers and their textile vocabulary, across various parts of India. Design stories start with curating and studying old pieces of textiles which showcase the crafts at its purest forms. The brand focus is on textile development and sustainable usage of textile techniques and the materials. In the past woven material was a precious commodity and was used frugally. The “hand-made” quality in antique pieces is evident and Injiri is inspired by such craftsmanship over and over again.
Visit Selvedge World Fair to buy tickets. Tickets give you access to talks, shopping, demonstrations, articles and interviews as well as a quiz with prizes.