Shrijan – Birth Of A Craft Reimagines Indian Textiles As Emotional Installations

There’s something instantly calming about ‘Shrijan – The Birth Of A Craft’, the latest textile-led showcase at the Innovation Gallery in Delhi’s National Crafts Museum & Hastakala Academy. It's not loud or flashy but it pulls you in with its quiet complexity and deep connection to Indian craftsmanship.

Curated by Sunil Sethi, Chairman of the Fashion Design Council of India (FDCI), in collaboration with Craftroots and supported by DC Handicrafts, Ministry of Textiles, the exhibition explores how traditional crafts can be reimagined into contemporary installations without losing their soul. It’s thoughtful, textural, and surprisingly emotional in the way it connects heritage with the idea of creation.

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At the heart of Shrijan is a simple yet powerful concept: craft as a form of birth and rebirth. Each installation reflects a journey—from idea to material, from hand to form. The visual language leans into the metaphor of motherhood, creation, and growth, but it doesn’t get heavy. It feels natural, especially when you consider the process behind each piece.

A Deep Dive into Indian Textile Techniques

The highlight here is the sheer variety of textiles and techniques on display. You’ll spot cotton, silk, Mashru, velvet, Kutchi weaves, and Ajrakh fabrics, each bringing a different texture, weight, and visual story to the space. There’s a real sense of contrast between the raw and the refined, traditional and experimental. Techniques range from hand embroidery, aari and Kutchi work, applique, crochet, Ajrakh printing, to bamboo cane work, beadwork, mud art, and more. You’ll also find impressive details like mirror work, potli stacking, fabric manipulation, threadwork, bamboo knotting, POP molding, and even soft LED integrations tucked into the designs. Each material and method adds layers, not just to the visual look, but to the feeling of the space.

The idea was to make this space function like a hybrid of an art gallery and a textile showcase

The installations don’t sit like static museum pieces. They’re built to be observed from different angles, placed along a ramp-like layout with thoughtful lighting that lets every fold, texture, and craft detail come through. “The idea was to make this space function like a hybrid of an art gallery and a textile showcase,” explains Sunil Sethi. “It can work for exhibitions, installations, and even fashion presentations.”

Rooted in Gujarat, Designed for Today

A big part of the story is Gujarat. Many of the featured crafts are drawn from rural communities in the state, supported by Craftroots, an initiative led by Smt. Anar Patel that empowers over 35,000 artisans across 87 crafts and 22 states, in collaboration with 19 NGOs. The initiative is dedicated to uplifting underprivileged men and women artisans, helping them build sustainable livelihoods with dignity and pride. “We wanted the artisan to be the hero,” says Sethi. And that focus is clear, these are techniques that might’ve once been considered 'languishing' or fading, now brought to life in new, visually striking ways.

One standout is an installation which plays with natural form and textile layering in unexpected ways. Another celebrates Ajrakh printing, not just as a fabric technique but as a sculptural story. Everything feels fresh, but still very rooted in where it comes from.

More Than Just Decoration

Shrijan is one of those shows that sticks with you, not because it’s trying too hard, but because it’s honest. There’s a clear effort to make craft feel current without stripping it of its identity. The details do the talking. And the craftsmanship—both traditional and technical—is hard to miss. It’s also a reminder that textile art can be more than wearable. It can be expressive, structural, emotional and even a little abstract. Whether you’re deep into the world of craft or just interested in India’s creative side, this is a show worth seeing.

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As Amrit Raj, Development Commissioner (Handicrafts), puts it, “This showcase brings together elements of fashion, craft, art, and culture. It’s a visual expression of Indian craftsmanship and a celebration of the communities behind it.”
And that’s exactly what Shrijan delivers, not just a showcase of what crafts and textiles are meant to look like, but what they mean and the innovation that follows. 

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