Friday 18 September, 10-5 p.m.: Exhibition and Talk, Wild Silk Ecology of Eastern India – The Story of Tasar

Obeetee Store, Units 308–310, Chelsea Harbour Design Centre, Lots Rd, London SW10 0XE, United Kingdom

Exhibition: 10-5 p.m.
Talk: 3-4 p.m.

Obeetee Craft Studio is a craft and textile initiative dedicated to supporting and reviving the rich textile traditions of Bengal and Eastern India. Emerging from the century-long legacy of Obeetee, one of India’s most respected handmade carpet companies, the studio was established as a resource centre focused on craft preservation, material knowledge and cultural exchange. Rooted in close relationships with artisan communities, its work seeks to safeguard endangered textile practices while supporting the transfer of indigenous skills to future generations of makers.

From its beginnings in Mirzapur in 1920, the company has grown into an internationally recognised name in handmade textiles, while continuing to place craftsmanship, sustainability and social responsibility at the centre of its practice. Working across hand-knotted, hand-tufted, flat-weave and handloom techniques, Obeetee collaborates closely with weaving communities across the Mirzapur and Bhadohi regions, where carpet making remains deeply woven into everyday life. Their approach honours the individuality of hand making, valuing the subtle traces of human touch that distinguish handcrafted textiles from industrial production.

Shreya Kanoi is a textile designer and researcher whose work centres on the study of material ecosystems within eastern India’s weaving traditions. She has twelve years of experience engaging with artisan communities across India and Nepal. Her practice explores varied approaches to artisan- led interventions, experimenting with models of transferring creative ownership to the craftspeople. She was awarded the Mrinalini Mukherjee Fellowship in association with the People’s Archive of Rural India in 2023-24 for her coverage of the ethno-botanical crafts of West Bengal. She leads design and research at the Obeetee Craft Studio, Kolkata.

Event Description
Join Shreya Kanoi and the Obeetee Craft Studio for an intimate, research-led exploration of wild silk tasar textiles from Eastern India in the 21st century, tracing its material journeys through community, ecology and tradition. This session foregrounds the evolving relevance of wild silk textiles within contemporary global textile practices.

It invites a closer reading of tasar as both cultural document and design. Bringing together a sensorial presentation of sound, touch, moving image, and conversation, the session offers a rare insight into wild silk tasar not merely as a fibre, but as a living material ecosystem shaped by geography, economy, and inherited knowledge systems. 

The one-hour session unfolds through a guided sequence:

• 5 mins : Introduction to the Obeetee Craft Studio, its philosophy, craft practice, and ongoing material research initiatives. 
• 20 mins : An immersive audio-visual and tactile presentation featuring process narratives, stories of making, voices of makers - exploring the sights and sounds of a wild silk weaving village in West Bengal, India
• 15 mins : A close viewing and walk-through of rare wild silk repositories and material directories including (i) yarns, fibres, fabrics that reflect the subtle nuances within the material practice; (ii) the associated material culture of tools and implements around the wild silks; (iii) surface ornamentation with wild silks.
• 20 mins : Open Q&A with the audience. • Limited wild silk collectibles will be made available for sale.

Event Cancellation Policy
All bookings are non-refundable. However, if you let us know that you are unable to attend an event you have booked at least two weeks before the event, we will open up your place. If we find another participant, you will be offered a credit note.

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