Textile Artists You Need to Know

Textile art is an art form that seamlessly blends tradition and creativity, transforming fabric into a canvas of intricate patterns and vibrant designs. India, with its rich history of textile crafts, is home to some of the world's most skilled and innovative artists that work with thread. These artisans weave tales of heritage and innovation through their needlework, preserving age-old techniques while introducing contemporary flair. In this listicle, we highlight the top Indian embroidery artists whose exceptional talent and unique vision are making waves in the art world.

Gurjeet Singh
Using a variety of richly colored and textured fabrics, Chandigarh-based artist Gurjeet Singh's three-dimensional works bring to life witty, otherworldly, and melancholic creatures. Singh's artistic journey began by watching his sisters embroider and sew at home. He was also captivated by Sikh miniatures in newspapers, wall murals, and the folk traditions of clay doll-making in Punjab. Assisting his father with scooter repairs honed his understanding of machinery.

Working across sculpture, painting, drawing, sound, and performance, Singh collects imperfect and discarded fabrics, buttons, and found materials from local markets. He also repurposes scrap fabrics and embroidered borders from his sister’s stitching business. Singh is drawn to defective textiles, transforming them into new works of art. His work often explores themes of identity, loss, love, and LGBTQ+ stories.

Sayan Chanda
Sayan Chanda's artistic exploration revolves around indigenous votive and ritual objects, delving into their materiality, transient nature, and their connection to people and spaces. His creative process is deeply influenced by folklore, vernacular material culture, and everyday objects. Drawing parallels between craft traditions and the sacredness of votive offerings, he emphasizes the transformative potential of manual craftsmanship. Working with textiles, ceramics, and personally significant found materials, such as used Kantha quilts from Bengal, Sayan deconstructs, knots, folds, embroiders, and weaves them into various forms, reliefs, and tapestries. He seamlessly transitions between intuitive creation and meticulous craftsmanship, employing repetitive gestures and constructing systems as his artwork evolves. Through his practice, Sayan aims to evoke a sense of majesty and mystery, infusing his pieces with personal experiences and references to mythological traditions.

Sagarika Sundaram
Sagarika Sundaram specializes in crafting sculptures, relief works, and installations utilizing raw natural fiber and dyes. Her artistic vision draws heavily from natural imagery, reflecting on the inseparable connection between humans and the natural world, implying the intertwined essence of existence. In her practice, textiles are constructed in a reverse manner, reminiscent of glass paintings. Hand-dyed fibers are meticulously rolled and layered in succession, creating a mesmerizing choreography that unfolds in reverse. Through this method, Sagarika conjures a collection of enigmatic biomorphic forms, inviting viewers into a world of natural wonders and mysteries.

​Swapnaa Tamhane
Swapnaa Tamhane, a contemporary artist, presents intricate fabric compositions that challenge the conventional boundaries between art and craft. Inspired by India's rich textile heritage and influenced by the majestic Mughal and Ottoman tents used as portable palaces, Tamhane reimagines these tent-like structures in her work. Deeply rooted in the history of Indian cotton as a symbol of colonial resistance, the materials chosen by the artist carry significant historical weight. Through meticulous design of motifs, appliqué, and beading, Tamhane introduces punctuated interruptions within the repetitive patterns, inviting viewers to contemplate the spaces between these interruptions. In doing so, she prompts us to reflect on the significance of these intervals and encourages a deeper exploration of her artistic narrative.

Isha Pimpalkhare
Isha Pimpalkhare, a formally trained textile artist, skillfully positions her work at the crossroads of art and design. Her creations exude a perpetual sense of motion and evolution, illustrating a journey both in the artistic process and in the final artwork as it springs to life within the gallery, pulsating with vitality and purpose. Through her delicate textile installations, Pimpalkhare invites viewers to delve into a profound emotional connection with nature. She champions Biophilia, a reverence for all living things, by integrating elements like breathing, movement, transformation, and reciprocity into her installations. This approach captures the essence of life itself, prompting a deeper appreciation for the natural world.


Words Platform Desk
Date 25.06.2024