cARTpet Exhibition in Mumbai Blends Art and Carpets to Raise Breast Cancer Awareness

To mark Breast Cancer Awareness Month and highlight the rising global incidence of breast cancer, while also raising funds to support treatment expenses for patients in need, an exhibition featuring a limited-edition collection of handwoven and tufted carpets in wool and silk will open on October 21 in Mumbai and continue at Gallery Art & Soul from October 22 to November 1. The Art & Soul Cancer Foundation’s collaboration with PASSAGES presents this exclusive exhibition titled cARTpet, curated by Brinda Miller. The showcase features reproductions of key artworks by 22 of India’s leading artists.

The cARTpet project offers collectors a unique opportunity to experience art in an unconventional yet luxurious format. For young, aspirational collectors, it is a rare chance to own a distinctive piece while contributing to a meaningful cause.

Participating artists are:

• Anjolie Ela Menon
• Baiju Parthan
• S H Raza
• Brinda Miller
• Jayasri Burman
• Jehangir Sabavala
• Krishen Khanna
• Badri Narayan
• Manu Parekh
• Paresh Maity
• Ram Kumar
• Rekha Rodwittiya
• Rini Dhumal
• Neeraj Goswami
• Sudhir Patwardhan
• Satish Gujral
• Seema Kohli
• Senaka Senanayake
• Sujata Bajaj
• Suryaprakash
• Shuvaprasanna,
• Thota Vaikuntam.

We spoke with Dr Tarana Khubchandani, founder-director of PASSAGES and Art & Soul, about the concept behind the show:

When did the idea of organising cARTpet first germinate?

In 2011, we were invited by Mrs Maneka Gandhi to hold an exhibition of carpets in Mumbai. She was confident it would be a success—and she was absolutely right. However, at that time, we were not involved in the production of the carpets and had only a limited number to sell. Over the past several years, we have received numerous requests from satisfied clients.

We realised that art can be appreciated in multiple formats, as long as it faithfully represents the artist’s imagery and creative intent. For young, aspirational collectors, this concept bridges luxury and accessibility, allowing them to own works by celebrated artists in a new form that can function both as rugs and wall hangings.

Since then, I have developed the concept further, aiming to collaborate with selected artists while ensuring the highest standards of design and quality. I approached artist Brinda Miller, whose attention to detail and refined sense of colour proved essential to the process.

The production involved extensive effort—months of sampling, collaboration with three different production houses, revising designs, modifying imagery, and even rejecting certain concepts. It was a rigorous two-year process, but the final outcome has been extremely rewarding.

Tell us something more about Art & Soul Cancer Foundation.

The proceeds from The cARTpet Project will support PASSAGES, an NGO focused on guidance, education, and emotional support.

The PASSAGES Cancer Health Programme was initiated in July 2000, following my personal experience with the disease and the recognition of a significant gap in awareness, emotional care, and financial support for patients in India. The programme primarily focuses on breast cancer awareness and aims to dispel myths surrounding the disease while supporting those in need.

What process is being used to reproduce these works on carpets? How long does it take?

The first step involved selecting artworks, as Brinda and I wanted to work with some of the most celebrated artists. We requested digital images of artworks rather than physical pieces and received an overwhelming response, as many artists have consistently supported our breast cancer fundraising initiatives since 2003.

We collaborated with three production houses depending on the complexity of each design. The process began with studying each artwork in detail—understanding colour tones, forms, and visual structure.

This was followed by creating a visualisation, a detailed graphic representation of the final rug. This acts as the closest preview of the finished product before production begins. Creating a single 5×7 ft carpet visualisation takes approximately 35–40 man hours.

During visualisation, each colour is assigned a specific code from a pom box and carefully matched with the original artwork. Since most images were shared digitally, adjustments were made for variations in screen displays. Brinda’s expertise in colour played a crucial role in ensuring accuracy.

At this stage, the production team also determines textures, combining fine New Zealand wool and silk yarn to achieve the desired finish.

The production process then moves into a detailed 10-step workflow, especially for designs involving 15–20 colours. The approved visualisation is converted into a life-size stencil, while yarns are simultaneously dyed in the required shades.

One of the most critical steps is ensuring colour accuracy in dyed yarns, as even minor variations can alter the final look of the carpet.

Once the stencil and yarns are ready, the tufting process begins. Skilled artisans tuft each yarn into the base cloth’s warp and weft. A single 5×8 ft rug can take up to 168 man hours to complete.

After tufting, the carpet undergoes latex backing and finishing, followed by skilled surface treatment to achieve its final texture, smoothness, and sheen. After nearly eight weeks, the final rug emerges as a faithful translation of the original artwork.

Conventionally carpets are placed on floors whereas paintings by these celebrated artists adorn walls…

Interestingly, none of the artists raised this concern. Moreover, each carpet is designed with the provision to be displayed as a wall hanging as well.

Will the exhibition travel to other cities too?

At present, our focus is on a successful launch in Mumbai, where we aim to achieve a dual objective: raising funds and, more importantly, increasing awareness about breast cancer. The exhibition has been timed for October, which is globally recognised as Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

In Western countries, oncologists, hospitals, NGOs, support groups, and the media actively collaborate during October to promote awareness in multiple ways. We hope to build a similar culture of engagement and awareness in India as well.