Wabi Sabi and Vintage Indian Textiles

In Japanese aesthetic, Wabi -Sabi refers to a mindful approach to everyday life, the aesthetic defined as the beauty of things "imperfect, impermanent, and incomplete".

 Things in bud, or things in decay, are more evocative than things in full bloom because they suggest the transience of things. As things come and go, they show signs of their coming or going, and these signs are considered to be beautiful. In this, beauty is an altered state of consciousness and can be seen in the mundane and simple.

While in India, our sense of aesthetic is far removed from the Japanese aesthetic, the transience of objects and time is something we live with everyday.

Khoj celebrates this impermance  with Khazana,  a collection of vintage textiles and embroideries, representing time and spaces from another era ~~~ तोरण, पंखी, चाँदनी, चददर, चौसर  ~  quilts, chadars, door hangings, camel covers, embroidered fans. These textiles and textures, spread across different forms, represent embroideries across the country. The provenance for many of these pieces is difficult to determine, for others it’s easier to hazard a guess.

With the help of an art historian friend, have attempted to take a guess on selective pieces in the collection~ the lady in the White Saree above shows intricate hand embroidery, a beautiful Gujarati chauser playing board, applique work is seen below from the Western states, another is a tapestry woven for the European market.

Some of these pieces are collectors items, but many can be celebrated in our everyday lives as pieces of fine craftsmanship and unique possessions, showcased in our personal spaces. 

We hope you enjoy browsing the collection and sharing it with friends and family who share a love for vintage craftsmanship and textiles. 

Here's a link to the collection 

https://khojcrafts.com/blogs/news/wabi-sabi-and-vintage-indian-textiles