The exhibition "Khadi: Indian Craftsmanship - Homage to Martand Singh -," exploring the Indian textile "Khadi" and its philosophy, is running until June 24th at Issey Miyake Kyoto in Kyoto.


India is a country where handcrafted techniques, history, and culture are still strongly inherited today, starting with simple and beautiful lifestyles and textiles. In particular, the cotton fabric known as "Khadi" is still hand-spun and hand-woven throughout India, even in recent years, when automation has become prominent in manufacturing.

The white texture is created by each thread spun by the maker and the diverse weave. Its beautiful texture is woven with India's modern history and philosophy, and behind the spinning wheel on the Indian flag is a reference to khadi, which began as a boycott of imported goods and instead wore domestically produced cotton, and has since become a symbol of independence and hope for the future.

Gujarat Vidyapith students meditating and spinning Khadi yarn. Video work: "The Beginning of the Day" by Noriaki Okamoto, 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 3, from "Khadi: Weaving India's Tomorrow – Homage to Martand Singh−"
Martand Singh, a leading figure in Indian culture, is known for his wide-ranging cultural revival activities over the past 50 years, including textile pioneering, exhibitions, and heritage conservation. Martand Singh called khadi the "fabric of freedom" in light of its associations with India's independence, employment, life and death, and creativity. He wore khadi kurtas, made from this cotton fabric, as everyday wear. Even today, kurtas are worn for a wide variety of occasions, from formal ceremonies to nightwear. Through Singh, Indian textiles spread around the world, and since the 1980s, ISSEY MIYAKE has collaborated with him to create clothing that can be considered a dialogue with Indian culture. This dialogue continues today through the textile-inspired brand HaaT. This exhibition is the second installment of the "Khadi: Weaving India's Tomorrow - Homage to Martand Singh" exhibition, which ran from April 18 to May 13 at 21_21 DESIGN SIGHT Gallery 3 in Roppongi, Tokyo. At the KURA gallery in ISSEY MIYAKE Kyoto, some of the works shown in Tokyo will be exhibited alongside an interview video with Martand Singh, introducing Khadi and its philosophy. The main building will also feature a lineup of luxurious items featuring Khadi and other traditional clothing shapes and prints from the archive series. The event is also scheduled to run from June 8th to 27th at ELTTOB TEP ISSEY MIYAKE / SEMBA in Semba, Osaka. Come experience the spirit and breath of Indian craftsmanship for yourself.



Last updated: May 28th