Aug 07 2026 to Aug 07 2026 5 p.m.

Where

Museum of Art & Photography (MAP)

Kasturba Road, Bengaluru 560001

Event Description

Celebrating National Handloom Day, we have Vaishnavi Kambadur and Mamatha G P K introducing us to the history and mechanics of handlooms. 

The session explores the cultural and social story of the cloth, its smell (natural dyes like Kalamkari and indigo), motif (Ikat, Bandhani, Ajrakh), historic revivals (Chintz, Baluchari), the weaving communities and castes behind specific textiles (Banarasi, Pochampally, Jamdani), and regional origins (Patola, Chanderi, Kanjeevaram). Following this, it covers the technical side, its loom types (pit, frame, shuttle, jacquard), fabric count (Muslin vs. khadi), and hand vs. power loom distinctions. Having covered the history, the session dives into handlooms in contemporary culture, their presence in film costuming and social media trends like converting sarees into western silhouettes. The session ends with an interactive session that helps you identify different textiles from the MAP’s collections, with a hands-on textile interaction session where you can touch and examine the swatches used throughout.

Mamatha GPK
Mamatha GPK is a Doctoral Scholar, Textile Engineer and Human Rights Law holder from NLSIU, working at the intersection of fashion, textile chemistry, and sustainable material innovation. Her work explores Indian fabrics through weaving, dyeing, and printing traditions, with a strong focus on green synthesis and eco-conscious practices and modern adaptation of sustainable techniques. 

She drives workshops, lectures, and seminars, translating complex textile processes into engaging, hands-on learning experiences with names like Puravankara, IIT Delhi, Centre of Excellence- Textile/Fashion- Coimbatore. Her work in bridging heritage techniques with contemporary design and material thinking. She has authored articles, research papers, and book chapters, Textile Value Chain, Intech Open and more, and has guided projects centered on textile chemistry and sustainable textiles for Visvesvaraya Technological University reflecting her commitment to making textile knowledge both relevant and impactful.

Mamatha G P K is currently the Department Lead of School of Business at the Pearl Academy, Bengaluru.

Vaishnavi Kambadur

Vaishnavi Kambadur is a curator and an educator. She holds an MA from Parsons School of Design, New York, and a Bachelor in Knitwear Design from the National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi. Her research investigates the meaning of motif-making in textiles, addressing its complexities around labour, culture, and fashion theory. She was part of the founding team at MAP and worked as an Assistant Curator for four years.

A 2025 travel grantee at the CIMAM conference in Torino, Italy, she most recently contributed as a curatorial consultant to Kala Hubba 2026, the public arts project under BLR Hubba. She now balances her practice with a teaching role at Pearl Academy, Bengaluru, remaining committed to evolving in dialogue with the needs of a new generation.

Vaishnavi Kambadur is currently the Department Lead of Communication Design at the Pearl Academy, Bengaluru.