Exhibition and Performance Victoria and Albert Museum

Description of impact

Visitors gained knowledge about South Indian dance and acting traditions, Kathakali and Bharatanatyam, becoming more aware of cultural diversity and the need for heritage preservation

Who is affected

Visitors of the exhibition and viewers of the performances. These included primary and secondary school children who had participated in my workshops 'the Meaning of Clothes', 'Interviewing', and 'Migration and Objects' in March 2019.

Narrative

The event was part of the Heritage-Lottery funded project organised by the Kala Chethena Kathakali Company. The project investigates how clothing and living traditions travel when people migrate and take their culture with them.
See also http://www.kathakali.net/
'Working with heritage experts we want to transfer our skills in costume conservation, provide learning opportunities enabling a wide range of people to engage with heritage in an exciting way, then share what they learn through a portable display of Kathakali costumes and activities. The project extends our usual work into new areas of conservation to release the remarkable history preserved in the costumes, make heritage more relevant and accessible, raise awareness of the role theatrical costumes and clothing play in retaining our history, our identity and defining how our heritage is understood, represented and celebrated.'

Impact status	Completed
Category of impact	Societial Impact, Cultural Impact