Slaves To Fashion

This is the title of an exhibition currently on display at Norwich Castle. It is work by the Singh Twins of Liverpool, and came to Norwich from the Walker Art Gallery there. I went a fortnight ago and found it fascinating. The information sheet says
This exhibition by the Singh Twins explores hidden narratives of Empire, Colonialism, conflict, slavery and luxury lifestyle through the lens of India's historical textile trade and their relevance to modern day legacies and debates around ethical consumerism, racism and the politics of trade.  
[But please note that The Singh Twins: Slaves of Fashion contains imagery and language which reflects historic colonial attitudes. Due to the nature of the exhibition, there is some historic racist, xenophobic and otherwise offensive content, as well as contemporary depictions of torture and violence.]
It is mindblowing, in the brilliant use of art and technology, challenging and thought provoking as it shows how the Indian textile trade has, for centuries, been affected by colonialism and consumerism. And we are told not only of historical injustices, but more contemporary issues, where the livelihoods of ordinary people are affected by the greed, and demand for fast fashion across the world.
The sisters produced huge paintings, with 'fabric' themes - cotton, calico, muslin, chintz. indigo etc These artworks have incredible detail- historic characters, social problems, the demands of the fashion industry, the greed of the rich...
The colour, and the situations portrayed took my breath away. I took some photos, and talked at length with the knowledgeable Museum staff. We so easily take fabric for granted - and I say that as someone who loves the textures, and colours, and styles. Here are just some of my pictures. Do look at the brief video at the end of this post - and if you have the opportunity to see this exhibition I would recommend it. 

Evidence of Indian textile manufacture goes back to ancient times - according to folklore, Queen Hatshepsut sent cargo ships to Kerala

Cotton cloth was unknown in Europe in the 14th Century - but Sir John Mandeville, a renowned traveller, believed this amazing cloth was produced by lambs who grew on trees!.

Queen Isabella of Castille sent Columbus off in 1492 to the East Indies, she wanted the fabled silks and embroidered silks. Instead he found the Americas - but that brought much gold to Spain, which she used to buy these opulent fabrics.

Indigo Blue - a rich deep shade, with colour fast properties. The figure here is Mumtaz Mahal - whose husband built her memorial temple in Agra [ a centre for indigo production] She is wearing denim jeans- challenging the idea that indigo represents 20thC western values. Its origins are from 16thC India. This dye was once known as 'blue gold' Details on this panel show Nelson and Napoleon fighting over India, and [bottom right] an X-ray of the lungs of a young 20thC textile worker- destroyed because he worked sandblasting jeans without PPE

 In 1600, Elizabeth I gave the East India Company a Royal Charter. This started out as trade, but ended in conquest. The main character is Calico Jack, a pirate known for his bright waistcoats. the magpie on his shoulder shows theft, the morning glory flowers are symbols of deceit. At the bottom left we see a British silk weaver beating a woman for wearing imported calico. The weavers feared for their livelihoods - in 1701 the Calico Act banned the import of printed cotton cloth from India, in order to protect the British textile industry.

Kashmir in India was famed for fine shawls, made from the wool of mountain goats [cashmere, and pashmina] From 1770 on these became a status symbol for European women. It took a weaver over a year to make one shawl. 

European factories and mass production made them cheaper, it was possible for more women to wear them. This is a Russian woman, wearing a shawl inspired by the Indian ones. The red Norwich shawls were similarly developed.

This woman has a phulkari draped over her arm.This word means flower work, and describes a particular style of embroidery from the Punjab in Northern India. Girls often made one as part of their dowry. These became popular in Britain in Victorian times, draped as home furnishings. Demand for cheaper versions led to mass production. The Kiku Movement, a resistance group, promoted home-spun cloth as a way of undermining British Rule - many of the group were executed, The artwork shows also the partition of the Punjab in 1947

Until the 18thC, India produced finished cloth for export - but in the 19thC, raw cotton was shipped to the UK, where the textile mills of the North West became the textile hub of the Empire. Along the bottom of this panel are pictures of the Manchester Mills and city architecture, and a poor little mill girl, barefoot, and clutching her shawl - there were slaves here too - with no proper representation. See also Mahatma Gandhi [middle left] wearing his homespun loincloth

At the top of this picture are printed many words which have come into our language from the people ofIndia - 

Dungarees, Bandanna, Cummerbund, Gingham, Sash, Pyjamas, Guinea, Khaki, Chintz, Calico...

We cannot undo the past - but we can learn from it, acknowledge the damage done by previous generations, and do all we can to work for fairtrade, justice for workers, proper compensation after injury or loss, and efforts to ensure sustainable production methods.

It is wrong that people [whether in Leicester or or Lahore] are working in appalling conditions, for minimal pay, to produce cheap, fast fashion. 

This exhibition thrilled me, challenged me, and has made me think about my relationship to fabric. See what others have said...