How Indian Textile Artists Adapted & Flourished During Covid

In pre-Covid days, Friends of Te Papa enjoyed some delightful presentations from Joji and Shani covering the textile artists of India, from hand weavers in the villages to the creation of unique couture in the cities. We saw examples of the beautiful work of these traditional craftspeople and heard how they continue to adapt to the modern market, especially the niche market willing to pay for unique handcrafted products.

The ravages of Covid in India received worldwide attention a couple of years ago and many of us wondered how the craftspeople in both villages and cities were faring in these frightening circumstances. A part of our concern was that the beautiful handicrafts might also be decimated as a result of the pandemic.

With borders now open again and tourists returning, Joji and Shani have picked up the metaphorical threads of their connections in India and will talk to us about the impact of the pandemic on the handcrafted textile industry in India, how it has recovered and what changes the pandemic has led to.

We will also take in a dazzling display of textiles, arts and crafts from these artisans, while we enjoy a glass of wine (included in the ticket price).