Lok Virsa

By Mahtab Bashir, "Hybrid novelties of pattern and design: Exhibition ‘Weavers of the Human Soul’ concludes" - Daily Times - Lahore, Pakistan
Monday, February 23, 2009

Islamabad: An exhibition of weaving titled “Tana Bana - Weavers of the Human Soul” featuring the country’s master artisans from remote regions of Pakistan and their works concluded on Sunday.

The nine-day exhibition, organised by National Institute of Folk and Traditional Heritage (Lok Virsa), was aimed at displaying the traditional skills of weaving to the capital city’s discerning visitors and to make them aware how traditional and modern weaving skills could be combined to create hybrid novelties of pattern and designs.

The exhibition provided an opportunity to people of twin cities to shop at reasonable prices directly from the artisans. It also provided a market to the traditional weavers and the clients and patrons of traditional crafts without the middleman’s cut.

These master weavers, along with their 32 handlooms (Khuddis) exhibited the traditional art of weaving to visitors. Beautifully designed fabrics, traditional clothing and articles of clothing produced by these master weavers were also exhibited.

Students from Karachi School of Arts, who have recently done their masters in textile, also participated in the exhibition with their khuddis.

From fabrics of all kinds to carpets, rugs and curtains the weavers in all towns of the country are producing the typical product of their age old tradition in the shape of khes, daries, lungis, khaddar, banarsi silk, cotton and woven cloth of all descriptions, stylish floor rugs and carpets.

Old methods of production following ancient traditions passed on from generation to generation are still alive in the work and skills of the handloom craftsmen.

According to historical research, the world’s earliest known woven cotton cloth was found at the 5,000 years old Moenjodaro site in Sindh, where cotton cultivation is still a major farming practice.

Evidence of cotton cultivation, sheep breeding, spindles and other tools indicate that cotton and wool were spun and woven not only in Moenjodaro but also in Harappa, another ancient site. The export of cotton cloth to Mesopotamia shows that cloth making was a thriving industry as far back as pre-Vedic times. Hand woven fabrics became the leading industry and export item in the Mughal period. The craft suffered immensely during the British rule, as the colonials wanted their machine made textiles to replace the indigenous handloom product.

Talking to Daily Times, Mazharul Islam, Executive Director Lok Virsa, who is also an internationally known writer and folklorist, said Lok Virsa intended to create a combination between traditional and modern weaving.

Lok Virsa also wants to encourage artisans to produce handicrafts using traditional skills, patterns and themes in an innovative way to ensure continuity and sustainability of these traditional skills, he added.

Islam said weaving was not only a craft but a mystic tradition associated with Sufis, who used weaving as a meditational practice as it involved transferring cotton and wool into cloth that provided comfort and cover to mankind against heat and cold.

[Full URL http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009\02\23\story_23-2-2009_pg11_11].