Anokhi is distinguished by its prints and sense of designs, range of colours and product quality For More than 30 years, Anokhi’s ideals have been those of conservation and development, through the input of design, marketing and project funding. The Company is well known as an alternative role model for good business practices, and the ongoing revival of traditional textile skills.

Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing - An enormous amount of interest has emerged for block printing, its history, continued vitality and use as contemporary textiles. At the same time the craft is at that crucial stage where it needs an impetus on several fronts. New design directions, improved technology and enhanced skills to deal with the onslaught of machine printed fabrics. One of the chief requirements was for the establishment of a repository of information on all facets of the craft. A centre that can disseminate information, exhibit and display the best of hand block printed textiles.

Today there is no such facility that can provide information, or show the best of hand block printing within Jaipur, Sanganer or Bagru except in private collections. More worrying is the fact that the craftsperson associated with this craft has nowhere to see and learn about the former highs of their tradition and the new possibilities that are possible by its contemporary application and innovation.
 

The Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing (Amhp) is thus an attempt to focus attention on the existent tradition of hand block printing. It intends to depict the traditional inherited wisdom of a living indigenous craft in all its facets and unbroken historic continuity, working towards the crafts furtherance to contemporary aspirations, newer design initiatives, markets, technical improvements, and greater sustenance to its practitioners the craftspeople.
 

Print Progress – Innovation & Revival - 1970 – 2005
Block printing in the 20th century was at its lowest ebb in the 1960’s, with very little innovation either in the production process or within the range of products to bolster its commercial viability and make it attractive for a market increasingly driven and inundated by mill made fabrics and prints.

From 1970 onwards export houses with access to newer markets led the rapid development in the craft. The need of the hour was to make the craft viable by bringing in a new range of products and colour palettes, so extending the traditional to meet a contemporary aesthetic and life style.

Print progress – innovation & revival, 1970 – 2005 documents this period of regeneration in the hand block printing industry. It tells the story of a revival in the hand block printing industry and thus traces the contemporary history of the craft. The pressures of a burgeoning export market & the proliferation of chemical dyes and newer printing processes led to several innovations as well as a revival of traditional techniques. Design directions made the textiles more appealing to the varied world wide clientele.

This export boom which sustained the continuance of the craft in the region was fortuitous, for the craft has come full circle today with a revival of interest & increased patronage for hand block printed textiles by the local populace.

This exhibition was made possible by generous loans from the extensive archives at Anokhi.

The Anokhi Foundation

The Anokhi Foundation aims to help protect, conserve & further the art, culture & craft traditions of the region. It works in areas where sustainable intervention benefits local communities. The foundation’s purpose is the promotion of people’s awareness to the protection of their history, material culture & traditions of art & craft.
The Foundation hopes to generate revenue and employment opportunities through the sensitive preservation and promotion of living craft traditions. It shall achieve the above through a continuous program of publications, lectures, workshops & exhibitions, thus disseminating knowledge and promoting cross cultural and inter regional dialogue.

The Foundation is constantly seeking like minded partners, institutions & individuals to forge linkages with and enhance the regions cultural industries.

The Anokhi Foundation is a charitable trust registered in India with a focus on Jaipur and Rajasthan.
 

Supporting the Anokhi Museum of Hand Printing
The museum seeks financial assistance to

• Develop essential facilities at the museum
• Acquiring traditional & contemporary textiles
• Organize workshops / seminars & exhibitions
• Extend its outreach programs to wider audiences
• Document & disseminate information

Opening Hours
Open Tuesday - Saturday : 10:30am - 5:00pm
            Sunday  : 11:00am - 4:30pm

Closed Mondays, and major national & local holidays.

The museum will also be closed between May 1st and July 15th for exhibition changeover and maintenance of the galleries