THE INDIAN SARI:
DRAPING BODIES,
REVEALING LIVES
Proposal for a temporary exhibition
Of all the beauties of India, one is at the same time the most common and the most bewitching. Who hasn't marvelled at the elegant gesture of a woman adjusting the folds of her sari on the shoulder? Draping is an art fully mastered by Indian women and men, following with grace every one of their movements.Yet, of India's many arts, draping alone has never been fully researched and even less exhibited. Although saris have been featured in many shows, it was usually for the fabric, and tied only in the most common "modern" way. Indeed, many traditional styles have never been researched, and are today on the verge of being completely forgotten.
- For more pictures click on the links. Thank you.
1: The research
Few specialists of India or its costumes have even suspected the extraordinary variety of Indian drapes. Up to this day, no exhaustive research has been completed on the subject. The most wide-ranging study has been made by Chantal Boulanger. She has recorded more than 100 different styles of draping.Her research brings out new ways for classifying Indian costumes and opens different perspectives on the meaning of drapes. It demonstrates that most saris fit in a few "families" corresponding to ethnic origins. Thus, Indian culture can be approached through an analysis of traditional garment. The study of draping reveals the history and ethnic wealth of the Indian subcontinent.Yet, Chantal Boulanger also discovered that since draping shows one's clear place in the social hierarchy, women tend to stop wearing their traditional drapes and adopt the "modern" sari. Many styles have already been forgotten, and in about 20 to 50 years, most of them will be. This is why she has spent the last 6 years recording as many traditional drapes as she could, and is now able to offer your institution a unique exhibition.
2: The families of saris
To help you understand how the exhibition will be structured, here is a brief outline of the saris' families.- The "modern" sari belongs to the "nivi" family. These drapes are wrapped around the body from bottom to the top, leaving a bunch of pleats in front. In the "kaccha", a sub-family of saris worn mostly in Maharashtra, and the "upper kaccha", a rare but very interesting (and practical) sub-family, the pleats are passed between the legs and tucked at the back.- In past times, most drapes were "dhoti". Styles belonging to this family are still commonly worn by men. The cloth is tied around the waist in the middle of its length, and each side is wrapped around each leg separately. "Brahmin saris" have evolved from the dhoti. Here the cloth is passed between the legs before being wrapped around the body.- Dravidians and Eastern Indians wear saris which have evolved from the "veshti". We can distinguish 3 sub-families : "veshti", covering only the lower part of the body; "Tamil saris" and "Eastern saris", where the upper part is simply thrown once or twice over the shoulder, and not wrapped around the body.- Tribal women prefer drapes tied over the chest. Some of these saris are a cross between purely tribal styles and styles from other families.- Many saris of Central India are inspired by Gond drapes. Surprisingly, Ceylonese saris belong to the same family, which starts by the drape of the cloth on the left shoulder.- Finally, some drapes are unique.
3: The exhibition
The exhibition will develop several themes in the context of Indian civilisation. "Sari" is to be understood as a rectangular piece of cloth draped to form the main garment, a meaning substantially larger than the usual.THEMES :* The various styles of saris:The different styles will be shown as belonging to their "families", so that their basic way of draping, their meaning and social implications are made clear.* The evolution of sari:The second theme is historical, geographical, and social. Draped garments were the rule in Antiquity from Greece to Rome to India. In India they were worn by both men and women. Distinct types developed through time along various axes: gender, with dissimilar styles for men and women; regional, with characteristic styles for different regions; and social, with distinctive styles for particular castes and ethnic groups.* The symbolism of dress and cloth:Occupation, caste, religion, mythology, and social structure are all involved in apparel. Some saris call for nine yards of cloth with pleats arranged to represent the male and the female side of the body as conceived in Indian philosophy. Most castes drape saris to the left while others distinguish themselves by wrapping it to the right. Religion and the position of women in society influence the amount of the body covered by the sari.* Fashion:Nowadays, although sari production has become high technology, using all the modern fabrics, hand-loom cloth is still considered a political symbol and sets the fashion trends not unlike French "haute couture". Technological evolution has added textiles manufactured in factories to the products of local artisans. Nylon saris are also imported from East Asia. These new materials have a tremendous influence on draping and have introduced new fashions.The unparalleled gracefulness and beauty of saris have made them a favourite garment for the most sophisticated, cosmopolitan Indian women. Not adverse to the latest Parisian fashions, Indian women continue to treasure the practicality and aesthetic appeal of the expertly draped sari.
AUDIENCE :
The exhibition is conceived for the widest audience. It will be made to show India's complex culture in a simple, entertaining display that even children could enjoy. For those who want to deepen their knowledge, additional reading will be provided. Anyone interested in clothing, India, history or culture will find it interesting. The rapidly growing South Asian community will be very pleased. All of the Indians who learned about this project were extremely enthusiastic and ready to help at every level. The idea was very well received by the representatives of the Indian Government. In India, Chantal Boulanger's research is entirely supported by Indians, from the rich and powerful manufacturers to poor and humble village women, who all realise the cultural importance of this project. Because saris show India's unity and diversity at the same time, they reflect exactly what Indians want to tell us.
BUDGET :
The exhibition has been planned to be made with a very reasonable budget.The expenses will mostly depend on your choices, options and possibilities.This project is made of a precious knowledge (rather than precious artifacts), something which cannot be stolen or damaged. Since the value of the textiles or photographs is not important, no expensive insurance is needed. If necessary, mannequins can be borrowed from department stores (drapes adjust beautifully to all kind of morphologies, even that of Western mannequins).If your institution lacks funds, this is a beautiful, innovative and interesting project which will bring the magic of India without breaking your budget. If you DO have funds, then we can develop the exhibition even further.4: DescriptionThe following description is just a list of many possibilities. The exhibition can be modified to a large extend according to your desires and needs. The number of mannequins, photographs, saris, etc. is flexible. We can integrate the collections (saris, photographs) of your institution. If you are interested by this idea, we will design the exhibit together. These are only suggestions:The exhibition will be conceived to appeal to a large public and bring along a piece of India. Emphasis will be on providing an emotional experience as well as an intellectual one. The visitor will be overwhelmed by the profusion of colours, light, sounds (Indian classical music) and smells (jasmine). Draped mannequins (wearing inexpensive saris) can be placed in the public areas for a better interaction.
The themes of the exhibition will be treated in several ways:
* The saris will be exhibited to show the historical evolution and cultural differences.
* Captions will explain the methods of draping and meanings of the drapes.
* Wall displays will deal with some of the more complex issues.
* Texts will provide additional reading on deeper themes.
* Video films and live demonstrations will add flesh to the bones.
* Animations, discussions and shows will complete the experience.
Examples of drapes will be worn by mannequins. Simple commercial mannequins will do. Saris adapt to every morphology, if properly tied.Mannequins will wear authentic saris made of typical regional textiles. Some will be draped with the silk brocaded fabric that is shown being woven in the photographs. The full range of fabrics from traditional handspun textiles to modern fashion saris will be represented.Some mannequins will re-enact scenes from daily life. Others will be positioned among the public or set on the edges of platforms to create a link between the audience and the displays. Captions for the saris will include a small map of India showing the location where the style is found, pictures of related dresses and sketches explaining the way they are draped.
Written explanations will be kept to a minimum.Around the mannequins enlargements of photographs taken by Chantal Boulanger will show scenes of Indian life featuring saris and Indian weavers. The captions of the photographs on weaving will explain how the typically contrasting borders and "pallav" (the end thrown over the shoulder) are made. Some wall displays will show maps or give explanations, addressing some of the more complicated economic-political issues. Yet this type of display will be kept as simple and as visual as possible.Many benches will be provided to give an opportunity to the visitor to sit down and read the texts provided in the "text boxes". These will be texts relevant to the exhibit which will be printed on large sheets of plexiglass or plywood (about 1'x 2'). The sheets (about 10 per box with the same text) will be easily taken by the visitors to a bench or to the display relevant to the text, but will not be allowed to leave the exhibit.A videoroom will feature documentaries on draping and weaving in India.
An open space will provide live demonstrations, workshops, and will display various aspects of Indian cultures, as well as offer an area for volunteers' activities.
Finally, lectures on drapes, Indian textiles and other aspects of Indian culture could enhance the exhibition.
Concerts of Indian music and dance performances could complete the experience.
Chantal Boulanger's book on Indian drapes will be available for the exhibition.
5: Credentials
Curator Chantal Boulanger has studied South Indian culture for over fifteen years. For six years she studied Hindu temple priests and was awarded the diploma of "L'Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales" in ethnology for this research. She quickly became an expert in sari wearing and started researching the subject systematically when she noticed that most traditional styles were rapidly disappearing. In winter 1990, she worked on the historical aspects of saris at the "Ecole Française d'Extreme Orient" in Pondicherry, where she rediscovered the Kannagi sari. She gives lectures in several French universities and in many institutions in the U.S., including the American Museum of Natural History and Columbia University. She has done a successful exhibition on Ikebana in Blois (then her home town) and on Indian Women in Tours.
Looking for sponsors!
VISIT THE EXHIBITION AS IT WAS AT THE GOLDSTEIN GALLERY, St. Paul, Minnesota.For more information, please contact :Chantal Boulanger
78 Hammersmith Bridge Road
London W6 9DB
Great BritainTel : (International: 44 in the UK: 0) 171 610 2234
SARIS: AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE TO THE INDIAN ART OF DRAPING
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