Stitching Stories was a collaborative 10 day Exhibition and event program partnered with the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial exploring the richness of handcrafted textiles from Porgai Artisans Association and The Stitching Project

More than just ethical fashion, The ANJELMS Project is a facilitator of change within the fair-trade, hand-made industry. We are proud to have contributed to the global exposure of these two artisan communities from either end of Rural India. 

Where each stitch carries stories of pride, endurance and harmony ~~ these communities defy the tide of mass production, celebrating the enduring power and felt richness of slow handcrafted textiles. 

How an Indigenous artisan community of rural India opened their debut art exhibition in Perth, WA.  

 In the heart of the Sittlingi Valley in Tamil Nadu, India, resides a community of Lambadi tribe artisans who dared to dream big. The traditional craft of the Lambadi tribe was lost for nearly 2 generations and neared total extinction.

After miraculously reviving their art, and laying the foundations of a women-led artisan community which now empowers over 60 women with a living wage, they asked the question -

"how can we elevate our craft into the realm of art?"

Porgai co-founder, Dr Lalitha Regi, and design consultant, Anshu Arora, put their heads and hearts together and dreamed of an artist residency where the women were given the time and resources to create with total freedom.

Through a serendipitous encounter, they secured funding thanks to Towards Equal Foundation to make this remarkable dream a vibrant reality.

The women spent many days together stitching, singing and collaborating, finding organic inspiration in the nature embracing them. They embroidered magnificent hanging tapestries that captured the essence of the land and told the stories of their ancestors.

During her visit to Tamil Nadu in 2023, The ANJELMS Project Founder, Gaelle Beech, came in contact with the Porgai Artisans and was so heart-warmed by the project that she dared to take the dream another leap further.

What if the collection was exhibited internationally, in the heart of Fremantle?

And so Porgai Artisans broke beyond India's borders onto an international stage. Stitching Stories was born as part of the Indian Ocean Craft Triennial (IOTA24) Program and saw the Fremantle Fibonacci Centre at maximum capacity for its opening night. 


This stunning exhibition showcases the contemporary textile art created during this art residency, alongside photographed documentation of the works in their native setting by Brisbane Photographer Melanie Hinds.

Featured besides these works is the last known traditional garments of the Lambadi tribe from the 18th Century, sitting parallel to the exact pattern replicas created by Porgai Artisans to preserve the history of their once nomadic craft