Artist and curator Vara Ramakrishnan presented a one-day exhibition titled 'Journey and Exile' at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, featuring 34 Kanjeevaram saris reimagined with artwork by artists and master weavers. The saris, including a piece by Shirin Nijhawan titled 'Ganesha' enhanced by embroidery artist Prabha Narasimhan, were displayed as unstitched garments that transcend size and social status, each carrying its own narrative.
The exhibition matters because it elevates the traditional Kanjeevaram sari from a functional garment to a canvas for contemporary artistic expression, bridging heritage crafts with modern visual art. By showcasing these saris in a major museum, the show challenges hierarchies between fine art and textile traditions, highlighting the sari as a living, unstitched inheritance that connects women across cultures and classes.