News - British Sari Story
University College Falmouth press release
A collection of especially designed saris for 21st century Britain and a sparkling selection of traditional saris will be on display in March in Cornwall as the British Sari Story, a Lottery-funded project celebrating British Asian heritage, opens at University College Falmouth (UCF).
The exhibition, created by Bridging Arts with Heritage Lottery Funding, will be on display at the College's Tremough Campus, giving students and the general public a unique glimpse of the history, intricate design and evolution of an iconic Asian garment.
"The British Sari Story is about patterns - and the way patterns tell stories," says Bridging Arts director Susan Roberts. "The traditional saris in the show are patterned with the peacocks and mango trees of south Asia. But there are also brand new saris, winners of a national competition for British Asian sari patterns, with designs reflecting life in this country today."
One of the winners of the competition last year was University College Falmouth BA(Hons) Textile Design graduate, Miranda Hicks whose buckets and spade design in pale blues and yellows impressed the judges.
"I created a sari design to reflect Cornwall and took photos of Cornish life and used imagery that is typical of the area" said Miranda. "Inspiration included Cornish ice-cream, and buckets and spades used on the beach. Many Indian motifs use birds, so I adapted that idea to fit Cornwall, using seagulls in one of mine. I also had photos of embroidery that I had seen on a visit to India, so I drew a pattern from them as well as henna designs."
The show has been expertly draped by international students at Falmouth. "We're delighted to display such an exciting show that gives us a unique insight into the experience of British Asians," says Rob Curran, UCF's Diversity Officer. "We do hope that people will make a special trip to see these saris."
The competition for a British Sari is being run again this year. Entry is free and forms are downloadable from http://www.bridging-arts.com
"It would be great to have another Cornish winner," says Roberts. "I hope that the exhibition will inspire textile and fashion students at Falmouth to pick up their sketchbooks."
The British Sari Story was developed by Bridging Arts in partnership with Brent Museum, the V&A Museum and Sona Rupa, Leicester. The new sari patterns were printed on Habotai silk by the University of East London.