In the Making: Chitra Gopalakrishnan of Kara Weaves
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In the Making“Imperfections are a mark of the making process… It’s how we know that this product came from an actual person, and wasn’t manufactured off of a machine.”
We hosted a live, virtual event on October 22, 2020 as part of our In the Making public programs series with Chitra Gopalakrishnan, co-Founder and Senior Art Director of Kara Weaves.
View a full video of the conversation above, and view the slides from Chitra’s presentation.
In conversation with Kristen Odle, NBSS Retail & Exhibit Manager, Chitra explained how she helped found Kara Weaves in 2007 as an all-women partnership, working to bridge the gap between traditional Kerala Indian weaving techniques and modern applications. Each of their multi-purpose, sustainable pieces are made on traditional wooden looms by local weaving co-operatives in Kerala, India.
Chitra demonstrated how she’s using modern marketing and design skills to reimagine and share this ancient textile with today’s global consumers. She also discussed how she’s has made it her mission to introduce aesthetic “imperfections” as a hallmark of handcrafted products.
“In the Making” is a new public programs series where we connect with a range of new voices, fields, and perspectives. Learn more and view a full list of participants on the series homepage.
