A new exhibition examining the relationship between textile heritage and contemporary artistic practice will open at Alliance Française, New Delhi, on 30 September 2026. Titled Masters in Making – Threads of Continuum: Reweaving the Future of Heritage, the exhibition marks the culmination of the inaugural edition of the Masters in Making Grant, an initiative by Burgoyne Original Masters (BOM) supporting emerging and mid-career artists working with textile-based ideas and practices.
Nationwide Response Leads to Final Exhibition
The grant programme received more than 180 applications from artists across India, reflecting growing interest in textile-led contemporary practices. Following a review process led by a jury comprising Dr Madan Meena, Hema Shroff Patel, Dr Vandana Bhandari and curator Sreyansi Singh, twenty artists were shortlisted for the final exhibition. Five grant recipients will be selected from this group during the concluding phase of the programme.
The initiative was conceived around the theme Threads of Continuum: Reweaving the Future of Heritage, encouraging artists to engage with textile traditions while exploring new forms of artistic expression and cultural continuity.
Curatorial Focus on Textile Narratives
Curated by Sreyansi Singh, the exhibition examines textiles as carriers of memory, cultural knowledge and community histories. Singh’s curatorial practice focuses on contemporary textile art and clothes-making traditions in South Asia, often highlighting material histories, labour and maker-led narratives.
The exhibition brings together artists working across diverse mediums and methodologies, reflecting how textile traditions continue to evolve within contemporary art. According to the organisers, the exhibition seeks to create dialogue between inherited craft knowledge and present-day creative practices.
Diverse Artistic Approaches
The participating artists explore textile traditions through a range of contemporary forms, including:
- Weaving and embroidery-based practices
- Mixed-media artworks
- Installation projects
- Conceptual and interdisciplinary experimentation
- Research-driven engagements with craft traditions
Collectively, the works investigate questions of memory, identity, cultural transmission and the future relevance of traditional knowledge systems.
About Burgoyne Original Masters
Burgoyne Original Masters is a cultural platform focused on supporting artistic practices that engage with heritage, craftsmanship and contemporary creativity. Through grants, collaborations and cultural initiatives, the organisation aims to strengthen connections between traditional knowledge systems and current artistic expression. The Masters in Making Grant was launched as a national open call encouraging artists to view textiles as living narratives capable of carrying cultural memory and innovation.
The programme also reflects a broader interest in fostering dialogue between artists, artisans and cultural practitioners working across disciplines.
Venue and Public Access
| Event | Details |
| Title | Masters in Making – Threads of Continuum: Reweaving the Future of Heritage |
| Curator | Sreyansi Singh |
| Venue | Alliance Française, New Delhi |
| Opening Date | 30 September 2026 |
| Exhibition Dates | 30 September – 10 October 2026 |
| Organiser | Burgoyne Original Masters (BOM) |
| Entry / Tickets | Not announced |
| Website | https://burgoyneoriginalmasters.com |
Exhibition Highlights
- Exhibition title: Masters in Making – Threads of Continuum: Reweaving the Future of Heritage
- Curated by Sreyansi Singh
- Features 20 shortlisted artists from across India
- Culminates in the selection of five grant recipients
- Focuses on contemporary interpretations of textile traditions
Looking at Heritage Through Contemporary Practice
Rather than treating heritage as a static archive, the exhibition positions it as a living process shaped by ongoing reinterpretation. By bringing together emerging and mid-career practitioners, Masters in Making – Threads of Continuum: Reweaving the Future of Heritage offers a platform for examining how textile traditions continue to inform contemporary artistic thinking while remaining responsive to changing social and cultural contexts. The exhibition provides audiences with an opportunity to encounter new perspectives on India’s textile histories and their evolving place within contemporary art discourse.
