Kanthi Mathi Kalamkari

is a tiny clothing company using Indian cotton and plant dyes to make handmade limited edition and one-of-a-kind clothing in coastal Andhra Pradesh, India. This project, established during the pandemic, was a natural outgrowth of Joan’s Beautiful Dress Imaginary project, in which she began making the loveliest dresses she could imagine using textiles she’d collected over her lifetime. This small venture incorporates her love of travel in India, a deep connection to textile making and plant dyeing, and a deeply held wish to contribute towards the continuation of artistic practices and traditions in India.

 

Currently, the clothes are available only at trunk shows. The first Brooklyn trunk sale of these beautiful pieces will be held on 10 and 11 January, 2025. The venue is Studio Delson (studiodelson.com), an architecture firm in Brooklyn. Below you'll find a small sampling of just some of the clothes.

 

The trunk shows are the final event of Joan’s exhibition Unstill Life, which opens at Studio Delson on 30 October. If you would like to attend the opening of Unstill Life or the artist talk and January trunk shows, please make sure to RSVP to nicole@studiodelson.com. The building security is strict and requires your name on a list.

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​Plans for a trunk show are in the works for fall-winter in 2025 at Botanical Colors (botanicalcolors.com) in Seattle. Stay tuned for details.