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BAGGAGE HALL AREA



This area reinvigorates India’s ancient pre-eminence in the arts of textiles and costumes with exotic props celebrating a rare collection of traditional containers.  Mumbai international airport is the first of its kind to present a display of the most beautiful hand-crafted trunks, as an introductory guide to the treasures that one can carry home. On exiting the aircraft, at the threshold of the city while awaiting their branded luggage - appearing on rivers turning around islands with nondescript signage - freshly arrived travelers from near and far, witness a celebration of India’s first great export…textiles, that made the city of Mumbai. 

Having set an important point of reference with the permanent display, the Museum, in order to stay current and relevant, will be continuously maintained, augmented, re-interpreted and described for all possible audiences with diverse storylines and live audio-visual documentation. For Jaya He, this means that extra attention and care is given to evolve the organisation of an autonomous system within the Corporate structure. This will empower a creative follow through of the Artwork program for a Museum Collection as separate from regular operative procedures. 

THE WEDDING DANCE

MANISH ARORA

Manish Arora, has carved a special place in the world of fashion for his unique signature of graphic configurations seamlessly incorporating urban motifs with traditional idioms, has collaborated with Rajeev Sethi to produce this Wedding DaRead More nce installation. The kalash, or the purnaghat is an auspicious element in a wedding ceremony, it symbolic of abundance and flourish. This forms the key form the installation and on it swirl canopies, which are representative of the rich fabric traditions of India. They also allude to the chatri or umbrella which recalls the royal processions. Read Less

TIGER, TIGER BURNING BRIGHT

ZANDRA RHODES WITH RAJEEV SETHI

Banners leap out from magical Himalayan trunks evoking stylized representations of the sacred tiger in its glorious avatar as a composite flying form roaring itself into existence. The traditional containers suggest the hilly topography of Read More the region where the footprints of the tiger were once found.   Legendary British designer Dame Zandra Rhodes worked with Rajeev Sethi to create this fabulously animated artwork using a time honored motif celebrating the tenacious survival of the noble beast, Tiger. Now forced to live as refugees in settlements on the foothills or in colonies spread all over India, ‘Tiger, Tiger, Burning Bright’ manifests the triumph of resilient cultural aspirations of the people of Tibet in the face of unfortunate displacement. Read Less

SILENT MINERATES AND WHISPERING WINDS

BAARAAN IJLAL & SHABANA AZMI (MIJWAN WELFARE SOCIETY)

KaifiAzmi was a legendary poet of 20th century India and hailed from Mijwan in Uttar Pradesh and it was his vision to see the women of his village empowered. Hi daughter, the actress ShabanaAzmi created a successful project where the women Read More are trained to do Chikenkari, the famous white on white embroidery.   Silent Minarets is a tribute by Rajeev Sethi to the legendary poet KaifiAzmi's vision, where he brings poetry, embroidery and art together in one work. visual artist BaaraanIjlalwho has worked with Mijwan Welfare Society to create a visual narrative in the tradition of chikankari embroidery as she culls verses of Mijwan's celebrated poet KaifiAzmi's poem and juxtaposes them with her conversations with the women embroiders and depictions of letters that the women embroiders write to themselves. White wooden chests covered with a mosaic of bleached bones have been positioned on the ground where stable ‘Minarets’ stand stoically between the gentle flow of ‘Winds’. Delicately engraved floral patterns reflecting the Ganga-Jamuni vocabulary of a composite culture celebrate the skill of making utilitarian containers into beautiful works of art. Read Less

THE CHINTZ OF INDIA

RITU KUMAR

Chintz are plain woven cotton fabrics that are printed in beautiful range of colours and motifs and widely exported to Europe as far back as the 15th century. These were extremely popular fabrics as they were far more appealing than the draRead More b wool and linen fabrics. Chintz India, scenographed by Rajeev Sethi pays a tribute to Ritu Kumar’s pioneering work in the revival of India’s oldest Industry: of Chintz and hand painted textiles with a tableaux jointly created by the designers Ritu and Rajeev presenting a contemporary take on a story that continues to influence fashionable design development in the subcontinent of South Asia.   This stylised installation deconstructs traditional garments into sculptured artworks, placing them on legendary trunks of Gujarat and Rajasthan. Painted sails on ships navigating their fabled cargoes, open gateways to an India now poisedas a destination where the sun never sets. Read Less