Chennai | Indian heritage inspires this textile collection by designer Lakshmi Srinath

Artist and designer Lakshmi Srinath’s collection Patterns & Motifs translates facets of Indian heritage onto fabric

In the remote villages of Tamil Nadu, under the canopy of a tree, rest the sapta kannika. The seven goddesses represented by seven bricks, smeared in turmeric and adorning bright pieces of Chinnalapatti cloth, come to life in the artwork displayed at the centre of Forum Art Gallery. A creation of artist and designer Lakshmi Srinath, the artwork runs a thread through the divine feminine energy representing Shakti.

Patterns & Motifs is a reimagination of Indian heritage through the medium of textile and jewellery. A collaboration between Forum Art Gallery and Lakshmi’s Tvam Art and Design Studio, the collection exhibits an array of textile pieces that incorporate hand-dyed fabrics and jewellery crafted from locally-sourced material such as wood, gemstones and metals. The exhibition takes one through the delicate carvings of the Gwalior Fort, the divine artistry of Khajuraho, the textured dance of Nature at Raneh waterfalls and the rich culture of India that has been passed down generations.

Designer Lakshmi Srinath describes this translation of heritage and Nature on textiles as: “In anything I do, there is always an underlying sense of tradition. It is core to my being.” She adds, “I adapt very instinctively. Provided it inspires me, I find it very easy to translate it onto fabric.” The collection uses themes of contrast embedded in their jewellery and interprets heritage carvings through multiple expressions. Shalini Biswajit, director, Forum Art Gallery, says, “Traveling is what inspires her. I could relate to that. For me, to revisit that and see it through my point of view, I saw how she translated that. It is always a pleasure to see artists express themselves,” she says.

 With her use of Chanderi and tissue as the base, Lakshmi Srinath defines the fall of her fabrics as “light and ethereal”. Through her emphasis on mirroring the rich historic tapestry of India, she also aims to bring forth fading cultures. “We are in the age of globalisation. The trend is to embrace multi-culturalism and multi- aesthetics. In this process, we are losing sight of our own sense of identity. Don’t apologise for who we are,” she says.

The exhibition will be displayed till December 7 at Forum Art Gallery, Padmanabha Nagar, Adyar.