The Glorious Legacy of Textiles from Bengal Baithak UK

The event will begin with a panel discussion on “The World of Bengal Textiles”, featuring Dr. Sonia Ashmore, Design Historian from the UK and co-editor of Textiles From Bengal: A Shared Legacy; Dr. Lenny Hodges, Early Career Fellow at Birkbeck, University of London, and author of the same volume; Ms. Mary Schoeser, archivist, curator, and historian from the UK; Ms. Francesca Galloway, a London-based collector of art and textiles; and Rifat Wahhab, initiator and trustee of the Muslin Trust. The panel will explore the rich heritage, cultural significance, and evolution of Bengal’s textile traditions. This will be followed by a screening of the documentary Epaar-Opaar, which delves into Bengal’s vibrant textile history and the enduring tradition of handcrafted textiles that continue to shape its cultural and economic landscape. The film captures the evolution of textile practices, the skilled artisans who sustain them, and the socio-political influences that have shaped their journey.

The evening will conclude with a musical performance by multi-award-winning sarod player and composer Soumik Datta. Based in London, Datta has performed internationally and received the Aga Khan Award, as well as the ACTA and India Week awards for music. He will present

a short extract from One Size Fits All, a piece he composed in collaboration with Bengal’s weavers and craftspeople. Through his music, the performance highlights the artistry, rhythm, and cultural narratives of Bengal’s textile traditions.