Mr Rajiva Sinha, Principal Secretary for the Government of West Bengal, India, launched the private view of Biswa Bangla at Design Junction for the London Design Festival on 23rd September 2015. Biswa Bangla is an umbrella organisation showcasing and promoting the heritage products of West Bengal. It is a State Government initiative to assist Bengal’s artisans and weavers to operate autonomously and flourish to project the energy and creativity of its people. “This participation is a precursor to the launch of the first international Biswa Bangla flagship store that is planned to open in London during spring summer 2016”, added Mr Rajiva Sinha, Principal Secretary, Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises and Textiles, Government of West Bengal, India.
At Design Junction, the audience experienced first hand a variety of textiles and handicrafts from the Bengal region by Biswa Bangla. These included revival products like Kantha, Jamdani, Patachitra, Masks, Balaposh quilts & an Indo- Portugese shawl. Other Biswa Bangla products also included fragrances and tableware. Live demonstrations from artisans included a Shola mask maker, a Kantha embroiderer, a Muslin weaver and a Patachitra artist.
A film about Balaposh an exquisite light weight, handcrafted, scented shawl or quilt, traditionally used by the nawabs of Bengal was launched at Design Junction. The only practitioner of this almost extinct art form, Sakhawat Hussain Khan of Murshidabad, features in this video installation that presented a visual story of how balaposh is made, which was projected over a piece of balaposh. This was a collaboration between Vineett Vohra, a photographer and Neishaa Gharat, a designer.
To achieve an international reach for the arts, crafts and fabrics of Bengal, Biswa Bangla supported the London Design Festival 2015 official party at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Neishaa Gharat created textile & mask installations in the dome area of the Victoria and Albert the festival’s key signature celebration, bringing together 1,500 movers and shakers from across the design sector.
About the London Design Festival
The London Design Festival is the UK’s largest annual design event held to celebrate and promote London as the design capital of the world, and as the gateway to the international creative community. Over nine days in September the London Design Festival is the umbrella over all design activity and features hundreds of events which take place across London, showcasing the city’s pivotal role in global design. Festival audiences are significant, with an estimated audience of over 400,000 people, from over 60 countries with a wider audience of over 1m people who can come into contact with the major public commissions. The festival also helps design companies generate new businesses.
About Design Junction
Design Junction is a platform for commercial and cultural design. They create innovative and curated design exhibitions within unusual, industrial spaces. Their flagship show takes place in London as part of the London Design Festival in September. More than 200 contemporary brands present their new collections to an international audience of architects, interior designers, retailers and influential press. designjunction has firmly cemented its reputation as the leading destination for design and culture in key design territories. designjunction is the leading design destination with a visitor reach of 25,000 design professionals and a global presence in London, Milan and New York.
About Neishaa Gharat – House of Gharats
Neishaa Gharat works with traditional Indian arts and textile crafts creating designs for a global audience. The House of Gharats endeavour is to raise awareness about their heritage and work together with artisans who continue to practice the art form which has been passed down for generations.