In addition to the pieces inside the Library, Chiuri and Swali, in collaboration with Italian musician Jovanotti, created three torans that hang at its entrance, welcoming visitors. The central toran is inspired by the musician’s global travels through 31 countries, while the two torans on either side draw inspiration from ancient musical notations preserved in the Vatican Library. “For us, the toran has always been a way of welcoming people into our homes,” states Swali. “In India, it is not only a symbol of hospitality but also an integral part of our architectural heritage. Through this prestigious exhibition at the Vatican Library, we wanted to celebrate this cultural bridge between the past, present and the future.”
Do the karigars working in the tree-filled compound in Byculla that houses the Chanakya School of Craft know how far their art has travelled—beyond Dior runways and into cultural spaces where Indian art has seldom gone? They do—and it means everything to them. “One of our artisans told me, ‘I may never leave India, but my hands will travel the world.’ I think that really encapsulates everything because for us, for them, craft is a movement, sure, but it’s also a passport to stories beyond borders and time.”
En Route opens to the public on February 15th 2025 at Cortile del Belvedere, Città del Vaticano, and will be on view until December 20th 2025.
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