Presented by BMW x India Art Fair ‘The Future Is Born Of Art’ Commission

Afrah Shafiq’s A Giant Sampler draws on the visual language of an embroidery sampler to foreground textile motifs and practices that have historically shaped women’s lives – from everyday labour to rites of passage. Scaled for public display across the fair’s facade, the work brings together over a hundred motifs spanning centuries and geographies – from the 1500s to the present, across regions including Japan, Mexico, Egypt, parts of Europe and Asia – forming a contemporary digital tapestry.

Visitors are invited to download the Sample This! app via the App Store or Google Play to scan the facade and explore the histories embedded within each motif and engage more deeply with the work. Presented as part of ‘The Future is Born of Art’ Commission, A Giant Sampler marks ten years of creative partnership between BMW India and India Art Fair.