Katha Kathan an exhibition showcasing the creativity, skills and entrepreneurial journey of Kantha artists, opened today at the Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Centre, Kolkata. The exhibition will remain open from 11 to 16 September 2026, from 11 am to 7 pm.
Organised by Contact Base with support from the CSR initiative of Coal India Limited, Kolkata, the exhibition brings together 16 Kantha artists from Nanoor in Birbhum and Ausgram in Purba Bardhaman. Their work reflects both the continuity of Bengal’s treasured Kantha tradition and its evolving possibilities in contemporary life. Passed from one generation to another, the craft has carried memories, stories, aspirations and the everyday experiences of women. The exhibition presents a diverse range of products created by the participating artists, including sarees, dupattas, kurtis, quilts, bed sheets and cushion covers. Traditional Kantha skills are reimagined through new designs, forms, materials and applications, opening pathways to creative experimentation, entrepreneurship and new livelihoods. A significant part of this journey is Peol, a brand created by the women artists themselves. Through Peol, the artists are exploring contemporary products and markets, collaborating with designers and gaining greater experience in product development, entrepreneurship and collective enterprise.
The inauguration was graced by Dr Rahas Kumar Mohanty, Regional Secretary in Charge, Lalit Kala Akademi, Regional Centre, Kolkata; representatives of the Royal Thai Consul Ms Pheephakorn Niamyai; Padma Shri Smt. Pritikana Goswami, renowned Nakshi Kantha embroidery artist and revivalist; Darshan Shah, Founder, Weavers Studio, Mallika Dudeja Verma, Co-Founder and Director of SHE and Director of Mallika’s Kantha Collection; and others. The opening day featured “Kantha Songs & Stories”, bringing together narratives of Kantha as expressed through folk songs, literary works and poetry, tracing the many stories, emotions and lived experiences woven into the tradition.
A week of conversations, workshops and stories
Kantha Kathan is not only an exhibition and sale but also a space for dialogue, learning and engagement around the living tradition of Kantha.
On 12 and 13 September, from 2:30 pm to 4 pm, workshops titled “Threads of Memory” will invite participants to engage with Kantha through hands-on exploration and creative practice.
A series of talks, will be held from 4 pm to 5:30 pm, and will bring together practitioners, designers and cultural voices to explore different dimensions of Kantha:
- 12 September: Kantha: Woven Words: – 14 September: Kantha Re-imagined: Designing for Today
- 15 September: Kantha in Contemporary Spaces :- 16 September: Finding Inspiration for Design
The exhibition and sale will remain open throughout the period, 11 am to 7 pm, from 11 to 16 September.
Kantha Kathan invites visitors to encounter Kantha not simply as an object of craft, but as a living tradition shaped by the hands, imagination and aspirations of rural women. This festive season, visitors can support their journey by choosing a Kantha creation made by hand—bringing home not just a beautiful product, but a piece of a tradition that continues to find new meaning in the present
