Phulkaris made by women in the Punjab are one of the most visible textile traditions of the Indian Subcontinent but have been little studied or received the focused and systematic study that many of the other folk craft traditions associated with pre- and post-partition India. Now, thanks to the promised gift of nineteen phulkaris from the Jill and Sheldon Bonovitz Collection to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, this tradition is receiving similar attention as the other embroidery tradition associated with the region; kanthas. The latter featured in an exhibition and publication in 2009 by the same museum, when an earlier donation of thirty-three kanthas by the same donors were exhibited along with those from the Stella Kramrisch Collection already in the museum’s collection. 'Phulkari: The Embroidered Textiles of Punjab from the Jill and Sheldon Bonowitz Collection', is on view at the Philadelphia Museum of Art until 9 July 2017. The museum website also has an interesting guided tour of the exhibition installation with the curator Darielle Mason. To view the video click here
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