You’re invited to our pop-up event:
Come explore the “India Ink” treasure chest of bedding, tableware and new kanthas set against the backdrop of one of Cape Town’s most refined vintage spaces.
Where:
Onsite Gallery, 153 Loop Street, Cape Town CBD
When:
1 week only. Starts Sat 7th June at 9:30am – Sat 14th June (Closed on Sunday)
In the tradition of Onsite’s philosophy of respect for, adoration and admiration of timeless craftsmanship and the desire to encourage the circulation of these historic and beautiful pieces, we are thrilled to be collaborating with India Ink, who share our philosophy.
BLOCK PRINTING
Dating back to the Indus Valley civilisation around 3500 to 1300 BC, the timeless art of hand block printing has been passed down through generations.
On a single road at the edge of Jaipur, hereditary carvers, mostly fathers and sons, squat inside tiny open studios, chiselling designs traced onto teak. In the centre of town, families of printers stand before long tables covered with endless lengths of fabric, dipping blocks into colour and stamping them with a “thump thump” of the hand to ensure a strong print on the fabric.
Block printing is done by eye, and tell-tale signs of the human hand are at the very heart of the craft. Perfectly imperfect.
VINTAGE KANTHAS
In Sanskrit, the word ‘kantha’ simply means rags or ribbons of fabric.
For centuries, poor Bengali women have taken their old saris and sewn them together with a simple running stitch to repurpose.
The functional kantha dorokha ‘two-sided quilt’ was not regarded as a work of art, but simply a loving means to keep warm.
Kathas also had an aspect of intimacy. Old cloth is said to keep the user safe from harm.
Women stitched kanthas for their loved ones: their children, their husbands and their parents.
Sign up for our Newsletter
Share your email address with us at:
admin@onsitegallery.co.za
