‘Journey and Exile’ at Asian Art Museum reimagines Kanjeevaram saris as art

San Francisco: Artists and master weavers from across India have transformed the Kanjeevaram sari into an artistic canvas for Journey and Exile, an exhibition curated by Vara Ramakrishnan at the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco.

The showcase brings together designers, artists, and traditional weavers to reinterpret the 18-foot unstitched drape as a medium for storytelling and contemporary expression. Each sari becomes a narrative object, blending centuries-old weaving techniques with new visual language.

One featured work is The Beginnings, designed by Shirin Nijhawan and resplendent in a riot of colors, enhanced by embroidery from artist Prabha Narasimhan. The piece exemplifies how the exhibition treats the sari as more than garment — as history, inheritance, and art.

“A sari is never cut to fit one specific woman who drapes it, but is a treasured inheritance. Each sari has a story to tell. The sari—18 feet in length—is an unstitched marvel worn by women across all walks of life, from labourers to queens,” says curator Vara Ramakrishnan.

The exhibition highlights the Kanjeevaram’s range and adaptability while honoring the skill of master weavers. By placing these works in a museum context, Journey and Exile positions the sari alongside painting and sculpture as a serious artistic form.