Indian décor brand Jaipur Rugs has introduced ‘Dreamers’, a new art collection created in collaboration with Chandigarh-based textile artist Gurjeet Singh. The collection features rugs and wall art that draw from the lived experiences of rural artisans across India, bringing their personal stories to the forefront through visual and tactile expression.
The project began with immersive sessions in villages across Rajasthan and inside Jaipur Jail, where Mr. Singh spent time with the artisans. These interactions were not limited to surface-level exchanges; they involved meaningful conversations and shared silences that formed the foundation for each piece. The resulting works reflect personal stories around gender, caste, identity, grief, and healing—bringing forward narratives that are often left unheard.
Instead of working with anonymous contributors, ‘Dreamers’ places the artisans at the center of the creative process. Their lived experiences—some spoken softly, others held in silence for years—are translated into visual narratives using abstract motifs, layered composition, and sculptural forms. Every piece is built from a dialogue between Mr. Singh and the artisan, developed over time and shaped by mutual trust.
The collection includes both hand-knotted rugs and wall-mounted sculptural works, including a striking series of portrait heads. Many of the rugs were created using ancient hand-knotting techniques, with some reaching over 600,000 knots and requiring up to 145 days to complete. Each artwork carries the signature of its artisan, making their voice visible in a space that has long kept them in the background. Names like Pushpa, Pinki, Boogli, Rais, Nishrat, and Gajanand are no longer just behind the scenes—they are brought forward as storytellers.
Notable pieces include Bahu Mukhiya, which explores the pressure placed on rural women to conform while silencing their individuality; The Portraits of Boogli and Her Mother, which address the weight of generational expectation; and Black Sun, which was created after the Indian High Court’s rejection of same-sex marriage and captures the sense of emotional pause and unspoken longing. I Like to Wear Both, another standout work, celebrates gender expression with openness and honesty, while I Want to Go Home and The Heaviness Within—both shaped during sessions inside Jaipur Jail—bring forth layered emotions of confinement, endurance, and the desire for release.
In addition to new works, the sculptural portraits were made from rugs that had been damaged in a fire and were originally set to be discarded. These salvaged materials were transformed into expressive forms using folk elements, beads, buttons, and other remnants—linking the themes of recovery and emotional repair to environmental responsibility.
Jaipur Rugs continues to evolve the role of handmade textiles—not only as beautiful objects but as containers of truth and personal history. Rutvi Chaudhary, Director of Jaipur Rugs, said, “This is what the future of handmade craft must look like, It’s no longer just about the object—it’s about dignity, ownership, and the storytelling power of those whose voices have long gone unheard.”
With ‘Dreamers’, Jaipur Rugs extends its commitment to handmade textiles while also creating space for conversations that often remain outside mainstream design. The collection does not just show the work of artisans; it shares what they carry within.
