Aku Zeliang's art installation captures legacies of two States
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 09 2025:
Designer and artist Aku Zeliang presented a striking installation at the historic Toorji ka Jhalra, an 18th-century stepwell in Jodhpur, as part of the Jodhpur Arts Week, headed by Public Arts Trust of India.
The installation features three monumental handwoven vessels, inspired by the traditional Rajasthani Surahi, and handcrafted in close collaboration with Jodhpur's master artisans.
Woven entirely on-site, the work is a layered exchange between the craft traditions of Nagaland and Rajasthan - two regions Zeliang is intimately connected with, having been born in Nagaland and raised in Rajasthan.
Rooted in his ongoing Huh Tu series - which draws from Naga tattooing traditions - this installation doesn't blend cultures, it holds space for both: form, memory, and knowledge passed through hands.
With the stepwell - a structure dating back to the 1740s - as its backdrop, the installation sits not just as an artwork, but as a living archive of shared craft legacies.




