March 3, 2011

Kennedy Center Exhibit : Maximum India

For all you guys based in and around DC - The Kennedy Center presents an unprecedented celebration of Indian arts and culture March 1-20 featuring music, dance, theater, film, literature, exhibitions, cuisine, and more. Here's just a glimpse of one of the exhibits.
Exhibition : To Stir the Still Air – Pankha from the Collection of Jatin Das
Eminent contemporary artist Jatin Das has spent much of his time over the past several decades travelling and collecting traditional hand fans from all over the Indian subcontinent. He brings approximately 40 fans from his remarkable collection.


There are traditional antique hand fans, fixed and revolving, made of palm leaves, cane, silver, feathers, silk, satin, leather, beads and bark. You'll find colonial hand-pulled ceiling fans, and replicas of those that caught Das's attention in palaces and churches the world over. Ritual temple fans of silver and brass, khus fans from Rajasthan and Kerala, the ancient phad collection from Kerala, khajur fans dressed in silk, satin and zardozi, wedding fans from Hyderabad and Pakistan, the tribal fan dhakua and the intricately woven majuli bisoni from Assam, beadwork fans from Gujarat all stand cheek and jowl with fans from the UK, Africa, Sri Lanka, Indonesia, China, Japan, Thailand, Burma and Cambodia. 'Cardboard-on-stick' fans painted on both sides by eminent contemporary artists take a bow. And there's a nod to innovation with ikat fans from Orissa, split bamboo on wrapping paper, and crochet, appliqué and embroidered fans. He has over 5000 fans collected over 20 years.
Let us know if you collect something, we would love to see the collection! 

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