and Resist - EWC Arts Programarts.eastwestcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Irresistible... · print, kalamkari, (hand-painted), tie-dye, and ikat. Until the late 19th century

Exhibition: October 29, 2017 – February 11, 2018East-West Center Gallery, Honolulu, Hawai‘i

The East-West Center Arts Program presents

DR. ISMAIL KHATRI BLOCK-PRINTING ON COTTON, AJRAKHPUR, BHUJ, GUJARAT, 2015, PHOTOGRAPHER: YAEL ROSENFIELD

Curators: Yael Rosenfield and Michael SchusterInstallation Design: Lynne NajitaAssistant Curator: Annie ReynoldsCoordinator: Eric ChangPhotographers: Gayle Goodman and Yael Rosenfield

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IrresistibleResist: The Art of Indian Dyes and Design

When people imagine India, they often envision aworld of vibrant colorful textiles with rich and complexdesigns. This seemingly romantic fantasy is actuallybased upon reality. South Asia has been producing vibrant textiles with intricate patterns for millennia.Many of the patterns were originally social signifiersof status, community, tribe, occupation, religion,stage in life, or gender, while other patterns are enjoyed for their aesthetic quality. With the expansionof global trade from the 17th to 19th centuries, textilesfrom the sub-continent could be found throughoutthe northern and southern hemispheres. In the modern context, textile artisans from India readilyborrow designs from thousands of years of diverse regional images. What then are the secrets of these dazzling textiles? What makes them so irresistible?This exhibition focuses on the resist dyeing processesthat have made Indian textiles prized by peoplethroughout the world. The textiles in this exhibitionwill be presented in four distinct categories: block-print, kalamkari, (hand-painted), tie-dye, and ikat. Until the late 19th century all dyes used on textiles were derived from natural sources — plant,mineral, and animal, requiring the use of mordantsthat bind and fix certain dyes to the cloth fiber. Resists, on the other hand, were used to block the dye from penetrating certain design elements on the textile. Mordants, resists, and natural dyescontributed to the creation of these popular textiles,adding to their rich coloring, wash-ability and colorfastness. Indian artisans were known as masterdyers, and it is thanks to them that India became a leader in textile production. Block-printed and hand-painted textiles share similar techniques used in their creation: the main difference is that block-prints use hand-carved blocksto transfer mordants and resists to the cloth, whereasin kalamkari a kalam, or pen, is used. Diverse regionsin India have developed their own methodologies andstyles, a heritage that has been handed down over generations.

Gujarat require approximately 15 stepsand that many different hand-carvedblocks, to achieve the intricate geometricpatterns and rich colors. With advancingtechnology, chemical dyes and a competitive marketplace, some stepshave been modernized and most oftennatural madder root (used for red) andindigo dyes have been replaced by theirsynthetic counterparts. Despite the factthat synthetic dyes are cheaper andachieve more predictable colors, thetraditional process of dyeing using mordants and resist is still maintained.

CARVING WOODBLOCKS FOR RESIST DYEING, BAGRU , RAJASTHAN, 2016, PHOTOGRAPHER: GAYLE GOODMAN

Block-printing in Rajasthan and Gujarat A series of blocks is carved for each design, the number of blocks dependenton the pattern and number of colors.These could include the outline block forblack lines, the mordant block for redareas, and the resist block for areas thatwill prevent the indigo blue dye from penetrating the cloth. Resists can includemud paste (dabu), wax, lime with gumand tar, which are applied with a blockprior to soaking in the indigo dye vat. The block-printing process is anelaborate and multi-stepped operation.Some block-prints like ajrakh from Bhuj,

Kalamkari in AndhraPradesh and TelanganaKalamkari painted and printed textilesbelong to three distinct categories:painted textiles known as chintz thatwere exported to Europe and SoutheastAsia; painted and printed textiles influenced by Persian motifs; andpainted temple textiles depictingepisodes from Hindu epics and the Puranas (ancient literature) written with Telugu captions. The traditional kalamkari process isvery similar to that described for block-prints. Designs are drawn on a cleanedand myrobalan-mordanted cloth with acharcoal stick made of burnt tamarindtwigs. The black outlines are then over-painted with a kalam, made of a bamboostick with a padded bulb fashioned withabsorbent fabric and bound with thread.The artist dips the kalam into the blackferrous sulphate solution and can control the flow of dye with slight pressure of the fingers. A kalam with athicker point is also used to fill in largerareas with color. Though traditionallyred and blue colors were dyed usingmordants and resists, the majority oftoday’s kalamkari are painted withchemical dyes, applied directly to thecloth. To date, the tradition of blockingwith resists has been lost.

BLOCK PRINTER, BAGRU , RAJASTHAN, 2016, PHOTOGRAPHER: GAYLE GOODMAN

KALAMKARI PAINTING DETAIL, KALAMKARI RESEARCH AND TRAINING CENTER, SRIKALAHASTI, 2016, PHOTOGRAPHER: YAEL ROSENFIELD

Ikat in Gujarat, Odisha,Andhra Pradesh, andTelanganaIn other resist-dyeing techniques suchas tie-dye and block-print, the resist isapplied to the woven cloth, whereas inikat the resist is applied to the threadsbefore they are woven. (You can see vertical threads known as warp in thephoto below. Horizontal woven threadsare called weft.) The resist is applied bybinding groups of threads with water-proof wrapping into the desired patterns,

Tie-dye in Rajasthan and Gujarat (known as bandhani and bandhej ) Images of tie-dye can be found in thefifth century Ajanta caves, demonstratingthat this technique has been utilized inSouth Asian textiles for millennia. In tie-dye technique, areas of the woven fabricare protected by tying tightly with thread.The tied areas will resist the dye, creatingdesigns made of pointillist dots (bhindi). The cleaned fabric is folded in halfor into quarters which will achieve a mirror imaged design. Since the fabricwill be tied through all these layers, itmust be thin and easy to dye. Traditionallysilk, wool, or thin and loosely woven cotton have been used for this process. Lehariya in Rajasthan is a complexand elaborate tie-dyed fabric with a zig-zag wave pattern or diagonal stripes andcheck pattern (mothara), often used forturbans and worn by Rajput nobility.

and is re-applied for each color. Ikat inIndia occurs as either warp-ikat, weft-ikat, or double ikat (both warps andwefts are tied) such as the complex andesteemed patola. One of the uniquecharacteristics of ikat is the blurrinessof the design, which occurs because the warp and weft cannot be alignedperfectly, but is in fact often prized bytextile lovers.

LEHARIYA CRAFTSWOMAN, IKRAMMUDIN MOHAMMED SABIR NEELGAR WORKSHOP, JAIPUR, RAJASTHAN, 2016, PHOTOGRAPHER: GAYLE GOODMAN

KNOTTED TIE-DYED TEXTILE FROM AZIZ AND SULEMAN KHATRIWORKSHOP, BHADALI, BHUJ, GUJARAT, 2016, PHOTOGRAPHER:GAYLE GOODMAN

DOORMAN IN TIE DYE TURBAN AT SWEETS SHOP, JAIPUR, RAJASTHAN, 2016, PHOTOGRAPHER: GAYLE GOODMAN

PATOLA IKAT WEAVING, DHARAMSHI MAHESHWARI WORKSHOP, BHUJ, GUJARAT, 2016, PHOTOGRAPHER: GAYLE GOODMAN

Printed with soy based inks on recycled paper

The East-West Center promotes better relations and understanding among the peopleand nations of the United States, Asia, and thePacific through cooperative study, research, anddialogue. Established by the U.S. Congress in 1960,the Center serves as a resource for informationand analysis on critical issues of common concern, bringing people together to exchangeviews, build expertise, and develop policy options. The Center is an independent, public,nonprofit organization with funding from the U.S.government, and additional support provided by private agencies, individuals, foundations, corporations, and governments in the region.

The East-West Center Arts Program formore than 38 years has enriched the communitythrough concerts, lectures, symposia, and exhibitions focusing on arts of the region, and by arranging cultural and educational toursby artists who are skilled in bridging cultures.

EWC Arts Team: Karen Knudsen, director, Office of External Affairs; Michael Schuster,Ph.D., curator; Eric Chang, arts program coordinator; Annie Reynolds, arts program assistant; William Feltz, adjunct arts specialist;June Kuramoto, program officer; Gary Yoshida,Elizabeth Kuioka, development officers; KisoreSherreitt, Hunter Kaye, student assistants.

Mahalo: Dr. Ismail Khatri, Sufiyan Khatri, AbdulJabbar Khatri, Ramju Vankar, Ramji Maheshwari(Tana Bana), Khatri Anwar A. Razzak, Aziz andSuleiman Khatri, Jalabai Khalifa, Jatin Sharma(Satayam), Ikramuddin Mohammed Sabir Neelgar,Ramkishore Chhipa Derawala, Suraj Narayan Titanwala, Raj Kanwar (Ojjas), Rakesh Chippa,Kamaldeep Kaur, Alka Sharma (Aavaran), Jonnalagadda Niranjan Shilpjan (Kalamkari Research and Training Center), BhanodayaKalamkari, Sri Vijayalakshmi Fine Kalamkari Arts,Bina and Kesav Rao (Creative Bee), Mr. Humane(Salar Jung Museum), Janina Poskrobko, RachelBracken-Singh (Anokhi Museum), Alice Blohm,Midori Sato, Sara Oka, Pauline Sugino, DavidMcLanahan, Simon Marks, Parvin Dangera, JavedAli, Honolulu Museum of Art, Doris Duke Foundationfor Islamic Art (Shangri La, Museum of Islamic Art,Culture and Design), Vince Hazen, Indru Watumull,Bethany Banister-Andrews, Leslee Michelsen,Lana Coryell, Anne-Marie Forsythe, Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center, Lynne Najita, Kennedy & PreissGraphic Design, Leilani Ng, Colorprints Inc.,Nancy E. Hulbirt, Brooks G. Bays Jr., UHM SOEST, Department of Textile Conservation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, June Kuramoto, Jennifer Leger, Shayne Hasegawa, Derek Ferrar,Phyllis Tabusa, Lucy Kamealoha, Deanna O’Brien,Tina Tom, Patsy Hiraoka, Marie Ebesu, ReynoldBalintec, EWC Facilities Management

Community Partners: Honolulu Museum of Art, Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Art(Shangri La, Museum of Islamic Art, Culture andDesign), and Hui No‘eau Visual Arts Center

East-West Center GalleryJohn A. Burns Hall, 1601 East-West Road(corner Dole St. & East-West Rd.)

Gallery admission is free. Hours: Open Weekdays 8:00 a.m.–5:00 p.m. and Sundays Noon–4:00 p.m.Closed Saturdays, Nov. 10, 23, Dec. 22, 24–26, 29, 31,Jan. 1–2, 15.

Parking on the UH-Mānoa campus is normally free and ample on Sundays.

Free school & group tours available.

For further information: [email protected]://arts.EastWestCenter.org

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Sunday, October 29, 2:00–3:30 p.m.Exhibition Gala Opening including reception, block-printing demonstrationby master artist Sufiyan Khatri, and walkthrough by exhibition curators.

Sunday, November 12, 2:00–3:00 p.m.Illustrated Talk: “Resist Methods forTextile Embellishment: A Global View”by Cheri Vasek, UH Mānoa Associate Professor of Theatre.

Sunday, December 3, 2:00-3:00 p.m. Illustrated Talk: “Lighting Design: Making Careful Choices” by Brian S. Shevelenko, UH Mānoa Assistant Professor of Theatre. In celebration of the EWC Gallery’s new lighting system, supported by the McInerny Foundation.

Sunday, January 21, 2:00-3:45 p.m. Film: “Dhanak” A blind boy crosses theRajasthani desert to meet the movie starShah Rukh Khan. Directed by NagorKukunoor, 2016, 105 minutes, subtitledand suitable for families.

Special Events | In the EWC Gallery with free admission Guided gallery tours will be offered Sundays at 3:00 p.m. (no tour January 21, 2018)

Sunday, January 28, 2:00-3:30 p.m. Family Sunday featuring textiledemonstrations and Bollywood danceworkshop (suitable for ages 5 and up).

Sunday, February 11, 2:00-3:00 p.m. Illustrated Talk: “Trade Cloth fromthe Coromandel Coast” by Sara Oka,Textile Curator, Honolulu Museum of Art.

Block-print master craftsman Sufiyan Khatri will be offering Workshops at the Honolulu Museum of Art School on Monday, October 30 and Demonstrationsat the Honolulu Museum of Art Textile Gallery on Wednesday, November 1, 10:30 a.m.–12:00 p.m.

The Honolulu Museum of Art exhibition “Trade Cloth from the Coromandel Coast” features painted cloths that were highly coveted and traded to Indonesia from India. October 19, 2017 – April 8, 2018. For more information: honolulumuseum.org

This exhibition is made possible by The Hawaii Pacific Rim Society, Richard H. Cox, Aqua-Aston Hospitality, and Friends of Hawaii Charities, Inc.The EWC Arts Program is supported by EWC Arts‘Ohana members, Barbara B. Smith, Jean E. Rolles,Jackie Chan Foundation USA, and other generousdonors.

“…Riveting … Soulful … Preserving the past whileblurring genres in an inventive spirit.”

— New York Times

“Leaders of the Raga Renaissance.”— The New Yorker

“Expanding the notion of what raga — the immersive, epic form of Indian music — can mean.” — Wall Street Journal

Sunday, November 5, 5:00–7:00 p.m.Doris Duke Theatre, Honolulu Museum of ArtTickets & info: arts.EastWestCenter.org

From Tradition to Innovation

Brooklyn Raga Massive in Concert Brooklyn Raga Massive is a collective of innovative musicians rooted in Indian classical tradition, dedicated to expanding diversity through raga-inspired music. Featuring sitar, tabla, violin and bansuri flute along with bass,guitar, drum set and other instruments,the group will perform classical raga,original compositions, and works by Ravi Shankar, John Coltrane, andTerry Riley.