The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms), Ministry of Textiles, Government of India, is inaugurating an exhibition titled 'Worlds Within Cloth: New Orders of Woven Making'. The event, part of the celebrations leading up to the 12th National Handloom Day on 7th August 2026, will feature contemporary textile artists, designers, and craft collectives whose practices expand the understanding of handlooms beyond their material form.
The Office of the Development Commissioner (Handlooms) is inaugurating the exhibition 'Worlds Within Cloth: New Orders of Woven Making' at Virasat Hall, National Crafts Museum & Hastkala Academy, New Delhi. The event will take place from 6th to 19th August 2026, with public hours from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
The inaugural ceremony will be graced by Smt. Neelam Shami Rao, Secretary, Ministry of Textiles, as the Chief Guest, in the presence of other dignitaries including the Development Commissioner (Handlooms) and Padma Bhushan. The exhibition is curated by Sreyansi Singh.
The exhibition will bring together contemporary textile artists, designers, and craft collectives whose practices expand the understanding of handlooms beyond their material form. Featuring works by Aadyam Handwoven, Abraham & Thakore, Astha Butail, Boito, Chanakya School, Coonoor & Co., Jagrity Phukan, Jayeeta Chatterjee, Kardo, Morii, Neeraj Patel, Porgai Artisans Association, Shradha Kochhar, Shrujan, Studio Medium, Ujjal Dey and 23 N 69 E, the exhibition highlights diverse contemporary practices that engage with India's handloom heritage through innovation, collaboration, and critical inquiry.
The exhibition seeks to foster greater appreciation of contemporary textile practice by presenting cloth as a medium of knowledge, cultural memory, and creative expression. By bringing together artists, designers, artisans, and craft collectives, it encourages meaningful dialogue on the evolving role of textiles in addressing questions of identity, sustainability, community, and material culture.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
