Dyrham Park to showcase textiles from Karun Thakar’s collections to explore global histories and living traditions

At Osterley Park and House, Blickling Estate and Dyrham Park, ‘Journeys’ draws on highlights from Thakar’s global textile collections to explore themes of migration, trade, craftsmanship, colonialism, global history and beauty.

Through the universal theme of ‘journeys’, the exhibitions reveal the complex histories of objects, materials, and people – examining both tangible heritage and living traditions.

Vibrant textile displays and film will reveal stories often left untold and show how these historic houses were shaped by global connections and colonial legacies.

Dyrham Park near Bath – Journeys: Ghanaian Asafo Flags from the Karun Thakar Collection

Vibrant Asafo flags, one of the most important West African art forms, fuse European naval insignia with local traditions and symbolism, reflecting resistance and adaptation during colonial encounters. Displayed throughout Dyrham’s interiors, and placed alongside portraits and objects, they will deepen narratives of 17^th-century global trade and colonial history embedded in the house.

Osterley Park and House in west London – Journeys: Wedding Shawls, Baghs and Phulkaris from the Karun Thakar Collection

At Osterley, intricately embroidered wedding shawls from Punjab will fill Robert Adam’s neoclassical rooms with colour and craft. These textiles, made by young women in the undivided Punjab for ceremonial use, will bring new energy and cultural presence to a property with strong links to global craftsmanship, trade and Empire through the East India Company.

Blickling Estate, Norfolk – Journeys: Global Textiles from the Karun Thakar Collection

Once associated with figures connected to commercial enterprise and colonial administration, Blickling becomes a stage for exploring how textiles travelled across continents, carrying stories of identity, trade, and transformation.

A curated selection of star objects from Karun Thakar’s collection, including Japanese kimonos, Punjabi baghs and kanthas, French toiles and chintz, Italian embroideries, Turkoman coats and Kente cloths from Ghana will highlight Blickling’s role as a global country house, showcasing the interwoven histories of textiles and design.

Emma Slocombe, Senior National Curator for Dress & Textiles at the National Trust said: “Textiles shape our personal identities and homes: from the clothes we wear to the furnishings we choose, they provide domestic comfort and protection and are a mechanism for cultural or fashionable self-expression.

“Karun Thakar’s extraordinary collections of textiles, seen alongside Trust collections, will offer visitors the chance to see these historic houses in a new and inspiring way, as living spaces where global stories intersect with local heritage.”

Karun Thakar commented: “My fascination with textiles stems from the fact that no other material is so close to our bodies, touching our skin and absorbing our imprints. Textiles are full of history and act as a mirror to global events. Researching the field made me look at collections with new eyes, questioning the conventional history in the light of post-colonial contexts and narratives.

“I hope ‘Journeys’ will inspire others and bring fresh perspectives to these remarkable collections.”

‘Journeys’ will open at Osterley Park and House, Blickling Estate and Dyrham Park from Saturday 22 May until Sunday 1 November 2026. For further information visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk.