Black mask with Soof embroidery

Dayaben Bhuraji Dohat of the Meghwal community of Tharad, Gujarat, is a nationally recognized master embroiderer of the Soof tradition, and a recipient of the Shilpa Guru national award. She spearheaded the revival of techniques associated with the Soof “counted” embroidery technique, which entails counting warp and weft threads to create precise geometric motifs using both cotton and silk thread. During the pandemic, she sustained her practice by turning her hand to embellishing facemasks, adapting designs to fit the small, horizontal format.

Dayaben Bhuraji Dohat, India

2020

Designed in Tharad, Gujarat, India

Made in Tharad, Gujarat, India

Embroidered cotton

Royal Ontario Museum
2021.27.28

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