Six women, six stories: Textile narratives in ‘Where the River Meets the Sea’

Where the River Meets the Sea brings together the works of six contemporary women artists, offering fresh perspectives on fibre, cloth, and embroidery in the world of contemporary art. The exhibition, on view until September 11, 2025, celebrates the evolving language of textile practices in India. The participating artists — Alamu Kumaresan, Aparajita Jain Mahajan, Dr. Savia Viegas, Hansika Sharma, Lakshmi Madhavan, and Meenakshi Nihalani — explore narratives of memory, materiality, and identity through the medium of textile. “The river, a symbol of life’s journey, memory, and transformation, mirrors the creative impulse flowing through each artist’s work,” notes the curator. “At the point where it merges with the sea, it becomes part of a universal truth — a metaphor we invite viewers to explore.”

Each artist draws from lineage, ancestry, and tradition while bringing in feminist reflections and a contemporary voice. Select pieces are also available for art lovers looking to collect works that challenge and redefine textile art. A curatorial note adds: “Yarns, weaves, dyeing, appliqué, and embroidery have long preserved memories and cultural histories. As textile and fibre art enter mainstream discourse, rigid lines between craft, art, and design are fading, giving way to new forms of expression and resistance.”

By weaving together personal and political narratives, the six artists present works that honor tradition while reimagining it for today’s context. In a time when textile art is witnessing a global resurgence, this showcase reflects how women artists are driving this creative wave.