Stitching Stories: Textiles, Tradition, and Community Empowerment
Join us for a discussion that brings together three remarkable women whose work spans continents and generations, connected by a shared commitment to textile traditions, cultural heritage, and community empowerment. Anju Kataria, Pavithra Muddaya, and Anitha Reddy will talk about their work and explore the intersections of art, identity, empowerment, and heritage in textile-based practices. From grassroots initiatives to international exhibitions, this conversation invites audiences to reflect on the cultural, economic, and emotional threads that bind us through fabric—and how honoring the handmade can shape a more just and beautiful future.
Virajita Singh, Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer at Mia, will moderate the conversation.
Anju Kataria, founder of Khazana gallery in Minneapolis, brings more than three decades of experience connecting global folk artists with collectors and audiences. A passionate storyteller and cultural connector, Kataria has curated major exhibitions and collaborative projects that celebrate the richness of handmade traditions. Her “Tea and Textiles” series exemplifies her approach—interactive, intimate, and rooted in shared cultural knowledge.
Pavithra Muddaya, a pioneering handloom design practitioner from Bangalore, India, offers a powerful voice in the revival and innovation of Indian weaving traditions. With more than 50 years of experience, Muddaya blends heritage and modernity in her work to ensure the survival of rare crafts while centering artisan welfare and sustainable practices. Her people-focused approach to design has made her a guiding force in India’s handloom sector.
Anitha N. Reddy, a community-based art practitioner and researcher, shares insights from her decade-long engagement with the Siddi quilters of Karnataka, a marginalized African-Indian community. Her socially engaged art practice has not only supported the Siddi women’s livelihood and self-reliance but has also helped to document and elevate their distinctive quilting tradition—once a private family art—into the realm of contemporary textile art. Reddy’s earned global recognition through exhibitions such as her showcase at the Haus der Kulturen der Welt (HKW) in Berlin, Germany.
Virajita Singh is Mia’s inaugural Chief Diversity & Inclusion Officer. Since March 2022, she’s led the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) Division, overseeing Mia’s HR Department and the DEI Department that advances DEI, access, and belonging in the museum’s internal and external work. Singh was born and raised in Mumbai, experiencing and participating in India’s vibrant textile traditions.