IIAD partners with Histare Group for Khakhan Batik showcase in New Delhi

The Indian Institute of Art and Design partnered with The Histare Group to hold an exhibition in New Delhi of ‘Khakhan’ Batik textiles from the Kachch region, made by IIAD students. The presentation took place as part of The Erbe Project, which traces the lineage of India’s intergenerational artisan families.

The exhibition was hosted by Mercedes-Benz at the business’ T&T Motors showroom in New Delhi, Indian heritage, history and cultural think tank The Histare Group announced in a press release. A group of IIAD’s third-year fashion students worked with crafts preservation platform Khamir to create intricate Batik print textiles which were displayed to showcase the Gujarat region’s heritage traditions.
 
The event also featured a panel discussion titled ‘Revitalising Indian Artisan Legacies’ and moderated by art curator and art journalist Rahul Kumar. Discussing the current revival of Indian artisan crafts, panellist and Padma Shri award winning dancer Shovana Narayan said, “Indian crafts have a universal appeal. While other countries have lost it, India has maintained and is now witnessing a revival interest in this.”
 
The exhibition’s curator Rahul Kumar presented a selection of Bhil, Khovar, and Warli crafts to showcase diversity in the country’s craft traditions. The event celebrated 2024 to 2025 as the International Year of Batik and highlighted the relevance of integrating indigenous crafts into contemporary design practices.