We ask four women designers to tease out the alternative narratives in their works. The result? Objects inspired by rituals, artworks that question history, and installations that reveal lesser-known stories.
THE CHANDLO
Nipa Doshi
Chandlo was born of my fascination of the ritual of sringar. On one level, it draws from the utopian 16 steps of dressing up and particularly reflects the big circular bindi that women wear, yet it is very architectural with its lines, planes, and three-dimensionality. Chandlo relates to beauty, because beauty is integral to my design practice.
I think the feminine approach to design is not just decorative— it is not that obvious. For me, narrative is important. Design is not purely about solving a problem or creating a form. It has a close link to human desire and beauty. One can say that beauty is superficial but for me it is also about embodying a ritual. It is an attitude towards material and environment. I’m deeply influenced by India. For example, how the bed was made in my grandfather’s house in the village or how the food was served and the table was laid out. There’s something sublime about these rituals. It is about entering the process of doing something—there’s a method to it and I love that.
Nipa Doshi is co-founder of the Londonbased design studio, Doshi Levien. Her practice is rooted in her plural upbringing in India, and the studio’s philosophy has been one that infuses the industrial with the handmade.
THE PERENNIAL GAZE
Shahzia Sikander
What might otherwise have been a small-scale painting within a book or a private collection is brought into the public realm. The Perennial Gaze takes my interest in Islamic book arts and manuscripts of the Muslim world and makes it a part of a very pertinent dialogue in the current global political environment.
This story is from the December 2018 edition of Harper's Bazaar India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the December 2018 edition of Harper's Bazaar India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
The Magic Of Magnesium
This miracle mineral can be your ticket to better health.
Filler Fatigue
With worries about facial distortion and a shift towards the natural, is it time to sav goodbye to these corrective tweaks?
Mind-Skin Connection
Is il possible for your skincare to communicate with your brain:
Tailored for the Game
Fashion meets sports as U.S. Polo Assn. names Sawai Padmanabh Singh of ol Jaipur’ s royal family its global ambassador.
Reimagined Classic
Louis Vuitton launches the Neverfull Inside Out bag, transforming the icon into a fully reversible tote.
Italian Muse
Guecr's new high jew ellery collection isa stroll through the country’s picturesque gardens.
Co Gs Art Post, Gas Art Pas New CELSIOR Net Lay the show Neking ble e dh PATRON An TH Fotal 24 ANAR Romantics
Romcoms might not have prepared me for modern dating, but they offered a timeless sartorial guide to falling in love.
Making a Case for India's Ingenuity
William Dalrymple says The Golden Road is an extraordinary story but also the most challenging book he has written in the last two decades.
On My Playlist
Playback singer turned indie-pop artiste Dhee talks about music, identity, and empowering a new generation.
Explicitly Bold
The latest lipstick range by Nars is designed to empower wearers with colour and confidence.