BENGALURU: The true essence of collaboration, belonging, and honouring traditions rooted in the land is beautifully captured in Karri-djarrk-durrkmirri, an exhibition celebrating the artistic heritage of Aboriginal Australian women, given a new form by Indian textile artisans.
In the Kuninjku language of West Arnhem Land, Karri-djarrk-durrkmirri translates to “we work together,” a fitting reflection of the exhibition’s cross-cultural spirit which brings together the Bábbarra Women’s Centre from Australia’s remote Arnhem Land and Bengaluru’s Tharangini Studio, a heritage woodblock printing studio.
“The designs we worked with are sacred, representing important stories and folklore from Arnhem Land, so it was an immense responsibility to translate these into woodblock without losing their essence.
Some symbols are so sacred that only a few members of the community are allowed to draw them,” says photographer Anahita Ananth with Tharangini Studio. Supported by the Australian Government’s Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR), the exhibition will display 21 textiles, created using hand-carved woodblocks, showcasing the designs of 16 First Nations Australian women artists, some of whom have passed away.
The project, which began with only seven designs has now had the chance to expand to 77 due to the grant as well as the seamless collaboration between the artisans. “The designs from Bábbarra were unlike anything we’d worked with before, but what we share is a deep connection to our respective landscapes.
Many of our traditional Indian designs are inspired by nature, much like the designs from Arnhem Land, which are deeply rooted in the artists’ connection to the environment around them,” says Ananth.
Anshu Arora, co-curator of the exhibition, agrees, “We discovered so many parallels between the struggles and resilience of the two artisanal communities. Both are knowledge holders, preserving traditions that have been passed down through generations. So, we wanted to bring out as many of these stories as possible, especially from the women’s perspective.” Arora highlights the importance of not just showcasing the artistic output but also the belief systems and processes in which art is rooted to give visitors a deeper understanding of the cultural narratives that inform each textile.
Aligning with this idea, the exhibition, being led by Tharangini’s director Padmini Govind, will also give a glimpse into process behind the final exhibition. “It’s been a 24-month process to adapt the designs for woodblock printing. The women at Bábbarra primarily work with linocut prints. The big difference between lino and woodblock is that lino degrades over time, whereas woodblock, especially when carved from seasoned teak wood like ours, lasts for decades,” says Ananth.
The designs featured in “Karri-djarrk-durrkmirri” explore various themes, from food and hunting to local flowers and spiritual beliefs. “When you see the textiles, you will get a sense of how their landscape and belief systems are deeply intertwined. We didn’t use all 70 blocks, but we carefully selected the stories we wanted to highlight.
Each textile draws from the landscape of Arnhem Land – the colours of the sky, the sea, and the flora,” says Arora, adding, “The colour palettes and layouts of the textiles reflect the landscape.” These stories are essential to the cultural identity of the Aboriginal Australian artists and are often depicted through symbols of mermaids, fish, and seaweed.
Arora shares that three of the 21 textiles were made in collaboration with the Porgai community, an artisanal embroidery group from Tamil Nadu, highlighting the ‘beauty of this cross-cultural collaboration’. The exhibition will also feature a video installation and photographic documentation of the collaboration, giving visitors a chance to witness the 24-month journey of translating sacred designs into timeless textiles.
(The exhibition will be showcased from October 4 to 13, from 11am onwards at the Bangalore International Centre. Entry is free)