The Edinburgh Indian Association is presenting an exhibition showcasing the work of contemporary textile artist and designer Ekta Kaul, a graduate of the National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad and Galashiels College of Textiles

The exhibition forms part of the EIA Scotland-India programme 2007 in which they are showcasing the best of Scots and Asian culture against a backdrop of the 60th anniversary celebrations. 

This is the first showcase of textiles by Ekta Kaul whose work is informed by the ‘living’ craft traditions of India.  She says about her work “Coming from a fashion background I was interested in drawing comparisons between the draped clothing traditions of Scotland and India, inate in our national dress, both with sari’s and kilts. It is the shared textile heritage that really gets me excited.

“I love to use craft techniques like needle punching, traditionally used for felt making. I’ve re-interpreted this process to ‘texturise’ the fabrics and to enhance their tactile properties. Warp printing traditionally used silk screens or wooden blocks. I’ve been able to innovate this process, by incorporating modern technology through the use of digital print. This has enabled me to create a myriad of nuances of hues, otherwise not possible to get with traditional methods. 

“Fabrics really bear testimony to the passage of time. That which is washed away with time and that which remains signify beauty to me. It’s this interplay that I’ve sought to portray in my work.”

In her work Genesis mercerised cotton warp was printed using a digital printer and woven on power loom. The technique was inspired from blurred edges as seen in ikat textiles. The piece draws inspiration from ageing in trees and uses visual references from cells and annual rings.

The exhibition of textiles by Ekta Kaul is on from 1 to 6 September 2007 at Out of the Blue, 36 Dalmeny Street, Edinburgh EH4 8RG.  Open 10am to 8pm daily (except Sunday 2 September 2007).

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