The author looks at new interpretations made within the current cultural landscape by designers who dare to take steps into the unknown. Traditional techniques and motifs are reworked in atypical, up-to-date ways, creating a fresh new visual language that is still identifiably Indian. Separate chapters examine the work of 23 designers and artists in terms of craft revival, surface treatment, texture, minimalism, and narrative. Raw Mango, for example, glories in the drenched color of the cones of pure color pigments found in Indian markets, creating saris of extreme color that are both minimalist and overpoweringly intense; while bai lou reposition the delicate motifs of Bengali jamdani, scaling them up into bold, oversized, geometric shapes. This book also looks at the small but growing number of Indian artists for whom fibre and fabric are an integral part of their studio and gallery practice.

Contents: Introduction; Survival and Revival; Re-view; Surface; Texture; Minimalism; Narrative; Crossover; Biographies; Bibliography; Glossary; Image Credits; Acknowledgements; Index