For their Venice Biennale exhibition, Indian artists Madhvi and Manu Parekh are transforming paintings and sculptures into textile tapestries

Manu Parekh studied at the renowned Sir JJ School of Art in Mumbai, where his education was based on a more western approach. When he was young, he says, “I painted what I knew, like the landscapes of Benares [now known as Varanasi]. I was told to copy Michelangelo, but I didn’t know who he was, and I questioned that constantly; I’d rather paint Shiva.” These days, he is known for vibrant abstract expressionist paintings in which he modernises traditional Indian elements. “I put a lot of effort into localising my work,” he says. He references and uses Indian spiritual motifs and allusions that reflect an endeavour to find cosmic harmony, as seen in works like Shiva’s Tandav (Fury of Shiva) (2023), Enlightened Stoned II (2010) and Meditation on Moon (2023), which are on view in Venice. And while classical western art didn’t quite resonate with the artist, he says he has an affinity for abstract expressionists who were “interested in philosophy and eastern art, particularly Paul Klee”.

The urge to paint or depict what one knows and to create one’s own understanding of tradition is very much present in Madhvi Parekh. Deities and celestial beings—often female—and symbolic representations from traditional folklore find themselves at the centre of her works. A self-taught artist, she started painting in 1964, while pregnant with her first child, after her husband gave her a book of drawing exercises by none other than Klee. This eventually led her to create a distinct, almost surrealist aesthetic. Imaginary characters in abstracted figurative forms populate her canvases, as can be seen in works like Flying Goddess (2022) and Village Opera (2023). In these works, she also draws from multiple traditional folk art forms that depict scenes from Hindu mythology and other ancient tales to create her own narratives in which the protagonist is depicted in the centre, with supporting characters and motifs embedded in the borders. These distinct stylised figures also often appear in sculptures she crafts from bamboo and paper pulp.

Although the couple have distinctly different practices, their works visually complement each other, the more obvious commonalities such as the use of strong colours and cosmic themes masking a more profound connection that sparked in childhood, and is grounded in customs learnt since a young age. They have both also worked with textiles and crafts, which came in handy for their collaboration with Swali.

“I am extremely comfortable working with craftspeople. Zardosi, chikankari and appliqué work—I know that language,” Manu Parekh says, citing specific needlework and craft techniques that are prevalent in South Asian cultures and have been in existence for centuries. “It’s a transition from painting to craft, but the way we handle painting with many colours and tones is the same way Karishma [Swali] and her craftspeople handle threads and textures. [The transition from painting to textile] was interesting; it’s like translating a French novel into a German one—the language is different but intention the same.”

Born and raised in a village in Gujarat, Madhvi Parekh’s first exposure to artistic practice was through rituals and customs that were regularly observed and normalised when she was growing up, but are dwindling in the face of demands of modern day life. From listening to popular folk stories to making rangoli—colourful sand designs on the floor—and learning needlework at a young age, she did and learnt it all. “At that time, girls had to learn how to embroider, so it was a daily practice,” she recalls. “In doing those repetitive motions every day, it bought you to a place where your mind is free; you’re open.”

Swali expands on the significance of practising creative skills: “When you are repeating an action by hand, there is repetition; there is a riyaz in doing something by hand, which leads you to yourself and scientifically it allows you to access part of your brain you normally can’t.” The concept of riyaz is at the foundation of many South Asian traditional cultural media, spanning music, dance, visual arts and beyond. It endures to this day and entails the mastery of foundational skills through repetition, consistency and daily practice. “We have 2,000 master craftsmen; if you go inside our school, you’ll find drop-dead silence because they are all in that moment of riyaz.”

The idea is also present in spiritual practices such as chanting—an act that inspired Manu Parekh while creating paintings for his Chant series, which were on view at the Musée Rodin Dior spring 2022 show. “Chanting is interesting because you gain strength through repetition. You create a sound, the sound creates a shape, an abstract one, and that was my starting point for thinking about the concept visually. It’s a common practice in our heritage,” he explains. “In the western contemporary art world, ‘decor’ or creating art for decorative purposes is looked down upon and considered ridiculous, as is the idea of repetition. But here, it is celebrated and has a spiritual dimension.”

It is this process of transformation—in which that initial sound born from chanting materialises into a form in Parekh’s head, and then a physical painting—which Swali and her artisans want to recreate in the more tactile form of textiles. “It’s a vibration of energy that we seek to create through threads,” Swali says. “We’re trying to create the same fluidity and vibrations that his watercolours create, but with thread.” For Manu Parekh’s Chant series, the artisans used a variety of techniques to replicate the density of his original, and adapted standard techniques such as the saddle stitch to accomplish movement and increased tangibility.

But it’s that transformation where the magic happens: where the initial concepts that the Parekhs explore materialise into two- and then three-dimensional visual forms. “It’s incredibly challenging to be able to create the same energy they radiate with paints; in our case we do it through threads and colour,” Swali explains. “That energy and transformation are essentially the ideas we’re hoping to share with the viewer.”

The Venice exhibition fuses themes of preservation, tradition and spirituality through a blend of craft, art and design, the significance of which has always been integral to not only South Asian culture but also its economy. It’s only in recent years that South Asian traditions and culture and the creative happenings in the subcontinent have been celebrated at a global level. From Indian designers such as Rahul Mishra and Gaurav Gupta exploding on the couture scene to the Dior spring-summer show in Mumbai in 2023 to the NMACC opening in India supporting local and international talents, the Hampi Arts Lab opening and the India Art Fair staging its largest and most successful edition this year, South Asian culture seems to have finally found proper appreciation. “There remained a vacuum in the global dialogue on the significance of our contributions, that the rest of the world is starting to recognise,” says Swali.

“In the art world too, I think without celebrating South Asian subcultures and the continent, there is a huge vacuum, because we have so much to offer, from the Vedic pantheon to spiritual abstraction. There is a huge need to be a part of the global cultural conversation, and being able to share [Indian culture] feels like a collective responsibility.”

Because the collaboration and the resulting works blur distinctions between art, craft, design and textile art, their presence in Venice, during the most prestigious international exhibition for contemporary art, is hugely significant. Beyond their visual language, it’s the values shared by Swali, the Parekhs and the artisans that shine through, creating an effect that is simultaneously grounding and liberating. “It’s the way they [the Parekhs] live and lead that inspires; rooted and free at
the same time,” Chanakaya’s director says, and though she’s referring to the couple, it is reflective of Swali and her artisans as well. Fuelled by the intention to preserve and revisit foundations and fundamentals, Cosmic Gardens has a grounding effect that allows visitors to rethink the purpose and definitions of art.

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