Exploring the People and Processes Behind India’s Block Printing Tradition

In 'Imprints of Culture: Block Printed Textiles of India', Eiluned Edwards shares the voices of craftspeople while also analysing government and NGO programmes. [caption id="attachment_198229" align="aligncenter" width="405"] Block printing is one of India’s oldest forms of surface ornamentation on textile. Credit: Pixabay[/caption]   Our textile traditions owe much to numerous intrepid and indomitable aficionados over the decades who have travelled the length and breadth of the Indian subcontinent, falling in love with, documenting and developing our extraordinary skills. A surprising number of these people have been foreigners and women. Starting with Flora Ann Steel and phulkari, whether it is the research of Stella Kramrisch, Rosemary Crill, Susan Bean, Sheila Paine and Vickie C. Elson, or the design sensibilities of Faith Singh, Judy Frater, Brigette Singh and Maggie Baxter, their passion and insights have added greatly to what has been done by our own textile gurus: Kamaladevi Chattopadhyaya, Gira Sarabhai, Pupul Jayakar, Prabha Shah, Nelly Sethna, Jasleen Dhamija, Martand Singh, Jyotindra Jain, Rita Kapur Chishti, Lotika Varadarajan, Aditi Ranjan, Rahul Jain, et al.

Eiluned Edwards Imprints of Culture: Block Printed T...