India will stage a national pavilion at the VIII Moscow Interior and Design Week — the special “NITI” project, presented with the support of the Embassy of India in Russia. The event runs in the Russian capital from August 13 to 16.
“NITI” takes the thread as its guiding metaphor: a symbol of connection, continuity and the work of the hand. The idea runs through every layer of the display, from the interlacing of fibers on the loom to the interweaving of cultures, eras and lives. Knot by knot, wool carpets, cotton and silk cloth — and a way of life itself — are drawn from the simplest of things. The name points to the thread as the very basis of craft and as an image of connection: fibers gather into fabric, into a woolen rug or a length of silk, while handwork ties together generations of artisans, cultural tradition and the modern world of objects.
The rise of interior design in India is a striking case of national heritage reimagined for the present day. The project frames the country not as a clichéd “souvenir market” but as a gallery of contemporary design — one that sets trends and offers the Russian market something genuinely its own. Every piece on the stand holds its own as a work of real artistic value. The designers draw on natural materials and local tradition without copying them outright; for them, craft is not a template to be reproduced but a language of modern design.
The line-up includes JAIPUR RUGS, a global leader in premium designer carpets; ARTEFACTO, which ships a broad range of one-off furniture in natural materials to Russia every month; product design from SANDEEP SANGARU and RAYDEN design; and metal light fixtures by COVALI. However different in shape and purpose, the pieces share one thread — a close attention to material and to the work of the hand.
Rounding out the pavilion is a collectible line by the zone’s curator, Lyudmila Rozvodovskaya, created this year in the foothills of the Himalayas. In these pieces, local craft meets an artist’s own vision: a traditional technique is given new form and returned to the contemporary interior. Rozvodovskaya also helped shape the concept behind the pavilions, her research into the artistic traditions of the East providing the common ground for the project.
India’s presence carries over into the exhibition’s business program. Among the international speakers is Sunita Kohli, the Indian interior designer and cultural-heritage restorer. Overall, the program gathers more than 200 speakers, including figures from Belarus, Egypt, India, Turkey, the UAE and Uzbekistan. The talks will focus on the growth of local brands, new technology, product design and Moscow’s role as a hub for professional dialogue in interior design.
The “NITI” pavilion joins the international program of the VIII Moscow Interior and Design Week alongside “Caravan,” the project of the North African countries. Both are devoted to craft and its place in design today.
