Sarita翰达岛肿物brates 25 years with an exhibition at Bikaner House

As part of the celebrations for its 25th anniversary, textile brand Sarita Handa is holding a unique two-day exhibition for art connoisseurs in New Delhi's Bikaner House—the address for art and cultural events—on October 28 and 29.

Founder Sarita Handa began planning the celebrations a year ago. “I wanted to celebrate our journey by creating an event that drew from the company's journey of exploring a universe of textiles, and amalgamating it with art.”

A 19th century Benaras Kinkhwab silk brocade

Besides showcasing archival material for viewers to understand the journey of the brand—through rare, vintage textiles (think Indian needlework translated into global styles, like French, Moroccan or Portuguese)—the two-day exhibition will also see the iconic brand's collaborations with renowned artists: Satish Gupta, designer duo Gunjan Arora and Rahul Jain, Arrti Mansinghka, and Jeevan Xavier.

“The brand and these artists, through the passage of time, have evolved together. They have been an intrinsic part of our journey, they understand our vision, the reason why we decided to collaborate with them,” explains Handa. Months-long brainstorming sessions resulted in the artists interpreting the iconic brand through varying mediums, in their own individual style.

Multiple print patchwork quilt Log Cabin

Artist and sculptor Satish Gupta, who creates dynamic installations inspired by Buddhism, extends his visual syntax, this time using textiles. Gunjan Arora and Rahul Jain extend their version of Indian spirituality through textile art, focusing on the relevance of mudras, and creating a new visual language that marries art and textile effectively.

Mumbai-based artist Arrti Mansinghka's work for the exhibit evokes facets of the river Ganga, layering the journey of Indian textiles and weaves by tracing relevant geographies that are synonymous with it. Bengaluru-based designer Jeevan Xavier sheds light upon the essential skills of the hand, which go into making the brand's products, through a film-based series of projections.

从阿富汗Suzuni绣花夹克

Interestingly, most of the textiles used by the artists are “leftover, surplus fabrics from the factory". Handa states: "It's imperative for the brand to look at sustainability and recycling even more closely than before." "We are all connected by the ‘stitch'," says Handa thoughtfully. Her journey, and that of her brand, is all about going 'beyond'.

She says, "I celebrate 25 years of Sarita Handa with the vision that we will be a responsible brand without compromising on our quality and aesthetics." Looking at the exhibit, there's no denying that Handa and her brand are on the right path.

A hand embroidered textile from Laos

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