Gallery Nyva presents Cut from the Same Cloth (2017 – 2023) by Seema Kohli. Inspired by the motif of the universal thread or bloodline that runs through each one of us, Kohli turns to embroidery, to give a new turn to her work.
This assemblage of works, in particular, expresses diverse nuances of life and different pathways to nirvana, the final liberation. In this journey she felt guided by the verses of various weaver saints like Kabir, Nanak, Namdev, Baba Farid, Bulleh Shah and Shah Hussain. Their message was simple and taught how the body and soul were woven together. In this series she explores, the physicality, the body, experiencing life in general and the teachings of these weaver saints through the visual deployment of techniques of weaving and stitching.
During the design of the project, she managed to acquire a weaving loom and a charkha from Panipat weavers which will be part of the installation. She also employs the unique mechanical sonorities of the loom as a symbolic representation of the ceaseless cosmic creation into which we are all minutely interwoven.
The project will consist of 15 artworks embroidered with silk and cotton threads, beads, and sequins on an untreated canvas cloth. There will be three paintings in acrylics with gold and silver leaf on canvas; as well as two works on gold tissue procured from Banaras that bring together painting and embroidery. Apart from this there will also be a multidimensional performance that brings together animation, music, poetry, and movement.
Find out more about the exhibit here.