VERTICAL INFINITY

Atelier Ashiesh Shah's STAMBH is driven to bring craft into our living rooms

- NIDA NAEEM

The 'Enhiye' weatherproof cloak is just one rendition of Nagaland's age-old weaving techniques. Made of dried elephant grass and deftly braided to keep the rain at bay, it is at risk of obsolescence. Architect and designer Ashiesh Shah has adapted the natural fibre 'raincoat' into a pillar or stambh, applying a sculptural edge to traditional skills. The pillar also functions as a lamp.

This spirit of 'craft for everyday' lies at the heart of 'STAMBH. The presentation, curated by textile revivalist Lavina Baldota, is made up of 24 stambbs showcasing living craft traditions.

"It is a compilation of the journey that brings different craft villages together with a common symbol. Celebrating the philosophies of geometry, sustainability, and empowerment, the presentation is simply a composition of inventiveness, tapped by artists coming together to narrate tales of evolving aesthetics and craftsmanship," says Shah. The common symbol he speaks of was birthed from the idea of axis mundi', an intangible bridge between heaven and earth. Anthropologically, it is reflected in the practice of creating pillars of artistic and ritual significance, found in cultures across the globe. As Baldota remarks, "Stambhs are a connection between materiality and spirituality."