Can tradition and modernity, continuity and change co-exist? Can design essential to help the communities thrive? These questions find interesting answers at “Design X Design Exhibition: 20under35” , where different mediums are shaping a narrative and inspiring the viewers to observe designs everywhere. While the hint of a proper genre is absent, a kind of game play between various creative communities including architecture, graphic design, fashion design and industrial design, is evident in the exhibition which recently opened at Gallerie Roman Rolland in Alliance Francaise de Delhi. The exhibition is letting arts enthusiasts from the Capital to gain insight into latest trends in design as it shows the work of 20 young designers who are under 35.
Consider this: a Rajasthani painting juxtaposed with animation on an I-pad which Deepikah R. Bhardwaj defines as her visual commentary. The digital art work reflects her travel experience across the globe and her sense of sarcasm. She feel strongly about state of women in country which she has stated through her video art project “Bitch Please” – in which she also criticises how women see each other in general. “I have tried to convey how people pass judgements without even realising it. My design philosophy is seamless as I receive it from everywhere, so that is why I chose digital which does not restricts me to one medium,” says the young Delhi-based designer. While the digital based art works instigate the emotions, these new works are notable for the use of culturally relevant anchors which anyone can relate to.
While textile industry around the world is emphasising on sustainable fibre because of the environmental concerns, Karishma Shahani Khan, a textile designer from Pune, is re-interpreting the existing materials to present needs and functionality. "I believe in zero waste policy and I try to use local skills to give global flavour and yet try to be sustainable. When I was studying in London College of Arts, I realised that India has so much to offer ranging from phulkari, chikankari, zari and many more forms which we are used to see but have forgotten to value it. Also the local artisans are losing jobs because of design shift. I source the raw materials, the labour from local craftsmen which in a way supports their work and I believe we all should support them to thrive,” she says. Her exhibited work includes designs which use waste fabric for embroidery with existing technique but with newer form for functionality.
When there is design, there is always a talk of future smart cities as there is a strong requirement of city designs – the urban forms which are acceptable to users as well as ready for future. Aman Aggarwal, a Chandigarh-based architect, has an answer to this as his exhibited design philosophy is more concerned about the elements of nature and their response to it. "Our past is rich in transcendent architecture and there remained a spiritual nature of city in our mind which is not just a habitat but a pilgrimage too. The city thus, should be a sutra of continuity that could bind our rich and glorious past with the beads of the future," reflects Aman.
(The exhibition will culminate in a closing walk on 13th February with a guided tour which will include the 20 shortlisted designers, who will summarise their practices.)
