Gathering Threads 2026
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Date: 31 July 2026
Time: 2:30 PM – 6:00 PM
Venue: KCC Ground Floor
Open to All.
Kolkata Centre for Creativity presents Gathering Threads, an afternoon of conversations exploring the many lives of textiles through archives, craft communities, design practice, and cultural memory.
Bringing together researchers, designers, textile revivalists, entrepreneurs, and practitioners, the programme examines how India's textile traditions continue to evolve while remaining deeply connected to the communities that sustain them. Through talks, discussions, and a curated walkthrough, the event reflects on questions of preservation, innovation, livelihood, and contemporary relevance.
The sessions explore textiles not only as objects of beauty and craftsmanship, but also as living repositories of knowledge shaped by generations of makers, changing economies, and shifting cultural contexts. From archival research and weaving traditions to contemporary interpretations and craft-led enterprises, Gathering Threads offers an opportunity to engage with the ideas shaping the future of handmade textiles.
Weaving Continuities | 2:30 PM – 3:15 PM
Drawing on the work of The Far East Art Studio, this session explores how archival research, textile documentation, and contemporary design practice come together to shape new understandings of handloom traditions.
Focusing on textiles such as Jamdani and Baluchari, the discussion examines how historical sources, museum collections, and field research help uncover the visual languages embedded within textile traditions while informing contemporary approaches to design and making.
Rather than viewing textiles as static artefacts, the session considers them as living systems of knowledge that continue to evolve through collaboration, research, and practice.
About the Speaker
Rajeswari Sengupta is Co-founder and Research Lead at The Far East Art Studio. Based in London, she works as a technology consultant while pursuing extensive research into South Asian textile traditions. Her work combines archival study, field research, and design development, exploring how traditional textile knowledge can be documented, interpreted, and reimagined within contemporary contexts.
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From Loom to Legacy | 3:15 PM – 4:00 PM
This conversation brings together two voices deeply engaged with India's textile traditions to explore the relationship between craft, design, entrepreneurship, and cultural preservation.
Drawing from their experiences working with artisan communities and handcrafted textiles, the speakers will discuss how traditional weaving practices can remain relevant within contemporary markets while retaining their authenticity and cultural significance.
The session reflects on collaboration, innovation, patronage, and the role of design in sustaining craft traditions for future generations.
About the Speakers
Manish Saksena is Business Lead and Creative Head of Aadyam Handwoven, the social enterprise of the Aditya Birla Group. With over three decades of experience across fashion, retail, and handcrafted textiles, he works closely with artisan communities to build sustainable opportunities for handloom traditions.
Sujata Sarawgi is a Kolkata-based textile designer and entrepreneur known for her work with handcrafted Indian textiles. Through her engagement with heritage weaving traditions and artisan communities, she has contributed significantly to preserving and promoting India's rich handloom legacy.
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Batik Over Time | 4:00 PM – 4:45 PM
This panel discussion traces the remarkable journey of batik in Santiniketan, from its early development following Rabindranath Tagore's visit to Java in 1927 to its emergence as a distinctive artistic tradition shaped by the creative vision of Santiniketan's artists and educators.
The conversation explores how practitioners such as Nandalal Bose, Pratima Devi, Surendranath Kar, Gauri Devi, Jamuna Devi, and others helped establish a unique visual language that drew from local aesthetics while engaging with global influences.
Today, batik continues to evolve through experimentation, new materials, and contemporary artistic practices. This discussion examines how tradition and innovation continue to shape the future of the craft.
About the Speakers
Kumkum Das is a batik artist and trainer associated with Karu Sangha, Visva-Bharati. She has spent many years practising and teaching batik and continues to work with educational and community organisations to introduce younger generations to the craft.
Dr. Esha Mukherjee is a textile artist, researcher, and educator specialising in natural dyeing and traditional Indian textile practices. Her work explores the intersection of sustainability, material culture, and contemporary textile art.
Moderator: Sushobhan Adhikary is an artist, art historian, curator, and conservator. Former Curator of the Kala Bhavana Museum and former conservator at Rabindra Bhavana, he has written extensively on Indian art and the art of Rabindranath Tagore and has curated exhibitions and delivered lectures internationally.
