Amidst the clamour of a 19th century Indian bazaar, the air hums with the chatter of merchants, the rhythmic clinking of coins and the rustle of textiles being unfurled. A curious detail catches the eye: glossy, vivid labels affixed to bolts of cloth. Each label is a miniature artwork with striking imagery, from dancing elephants and serene deities to reclining women in lush gardens and majestic steamships. Ticket Tika Chaap at the Museum of Art & Photography (MAP) in Bengaluru offers an insightful exploration of these labels as commercial tools and cultural artefacts, and is on view from March 22 – November 2, 2025.

Curated by Nathaniel Gaskell, a Singapore-based curator with an extensive background in photography and visual culture and Shrey Maurya, Research Director at MAP, the exhibition meticulously showcases nearly 300 textile tickets alongside historical photographs, paintings and printed ephemera.

The exhibition is divided into several sections. Cottonopolis delves into the industrial and legal frameworks of textile production and trade. Legends, Beliefs, and Traditions explores the cultural and religious motifs on labels. Inspiration, Imitation, and Appropriation examines the interplay of artistic traditions, and Made in Britain for the World highlights the global reach of labels. An archive-based section offers additional insights into the chromolithographic techniques and trademark registration practices of the era. This section features folios and tickets from the archives of ticket printers like the Manchester-based B. Taylor & Co., which documented designs, approvals, client data and more. These records include multiple sizes of the same design, blank labels for customisation, decorative bands and stock albums for merchant selection. 

Known variously as ‘textile tickets’, tikats, tikas, or chaps, these labels emerged as one of the earliest forms of branding and advertising in colonial India. Stuck to mill-made cloth, both British and Indian, they served as markers of identity and desire, imbuing the mundane act of buying fabric with an experience of visual delight. Not merely functional, they were cultural keepsakes, reflecting the aspirations, aesthetics and socio-political undercurrents of their times. In the 20th century, these ‘tickets’ also acknowledged the Indian independence movement. The display at MAP includes depictions of India as a divine mother, Bharat Mata, alongside flags, maps and images of nationalist leaders. These labels were also used to promote Indian mill cloth, aligning the act of purchasing fabric with the ideals of the Swadeshi Movement.

Produced through chromolithography, the labels democratised access to colour imagery. Textile labels became windows into a changing world. Their designs often featured divine figures, mythological narratives, regal portraits and even political symbols, chosen carefully to resonate with the diverse cultural and regional preferences of the Indian market.

Textile labels were typically pasted on the face plate or the topmost piece of a folded fabric. They appeared alongside other stamped marks bearing details like the names of the distributing merchant or export agency, manufacturer, pattern number, yardage, dye quality and fabric type. The visual idiom of these labels was shaped by a confluence of artistic traditions. Traditional Indian art forms such as miniature paintings, sculpture and folk motifs influenced their compositions, alongside contemporary media like photographs, prints and postcards.

Beyond their commercial purpose, these labels became cherished collectibles, devotional items and emblems of personal taste. In homes, they adorned walls and altars, transforming into objects of aesthetic and spiritual value – popular labels include a chromolithographic Laxmi print from the Ravi Varma Press. The history of textile labels is enmeshed with colonial narratives of production, trade and industrialisation. British textile mills, buoyed by the mechanisation of the Industrial Revolution, dominated global markets, flooding colonies like India with affordable, factory-produced cloth. The labels’ designs often included imperial symbols such as of Britannia, the allegorical figure representing Britain’s power and empire, alongside the crown and contemporary monarchs. Additionally, the late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the rise of Indian textile mills and a burgeoning national consciousness. Indian manufacturers adopted and adapted the visual language of textile labels, incorporating local motifs, traditional art styles and nationalist symbols. The labels became a medium through which colonial and indigenous perspectives interacted, contested and coexisted. Depictions of historical rulers, mythological heroes and sacred symbols became subtle assertions of cultural identity and resistance.

With technological progress, ‘textile tickets’ captured the spirit of modernity. Images of steamships, factories and bustling cities signalled progress and innovation, resonating with the aspirations of a rapidly changing society. The rise of new socio-economic classes, the increasing visibility of women in education and work and evolving notions of individuality found expression in the labels’ imagery. Fashion, as a marker of identity and modernity, became a recurring theme, reflecting the interconnectedness of personal and societal transformation. The emergence of the modern woman was particularly significant. These labels depicted women in diverse roles, as icons of traditional beauty and symbols of education and independence. ‘Tickets’ showcased the new spaces and roles women could occupy, reflecting a period when such shifts provoked intense social debate in both Britain and India.

Originally crafted for commerce, 'textile tickets' prompt a reflection on the intersections of history, identity and representation. How did they shape consumer behaviour and memory? What do they reveal about the dynamics of colonial commerce and cultural exchange? And in a world still dominated by branding and visual storytelling, what lessons can we draw from their enduring appeal?

‘Ticket Tika Chaap: The Art of the Trademark in Indo-British Textile Trade’ will be on view at MAP, Bengaluru, from March 22 - November 2, 2025.