• Academician
  • Design Curator
  • Visual Design Strategist

About

I am a practicing graphic designer with a focus on visual brand strategy, publication design, and a special interest in traditional Indian folk media. My interest has always been in the Indian folk media, culminating in a highly-lauded PhD research in 2016 on grids, symbolism and other nuances in the graphic design of ancient Indian scriptures with the aim to decipher their profoundly textured and meaningful layout techniques. It was also a milestone in my journey to decolonise Indian design curriculum and revitalize design pedagogy to focus on indigenous design. My aim was to make the richness of Indian design a part of the teaching curriculum, and nurture a generation of design professionals, who are not only conversant with western concepts but also fluent in the Indian design aesthetic.

Scripting The Past For The Future

In order to stimulate dialogue and to advance this initiative of decolonising Indian design curriculum, I conceptualized, designed, and executed a nine-day exhibition, ‘Scripting the Past for the Future’, in association with the prestigious National Manuscript Mission and the Indira Gandhi National Center for Art.

The Ancient Indian Grid System

It was followed by the publication of a book on the subject titled ‘The Ancient Indian Grid System: A New Gateway to Modern Design Language’.

ICO-D

My next step towards furthering this conversation was the publication of my ‘Grid systems and universality in Indian graphic design: A study of Jain manuscripts’, in Communication Design. Communication Design, as you may already be aware, is an acclaimed international, peer-reviewed publication heralded by the prestigious Ico-D, the definitive publication in the world of design, and published by Taylor & Francis, which is among the most respected publications in its field.

Oxford

Having explored a topic of deep personal interest to me – “Hindu religious symbolism as a spiritual guide to Indian design philosophy”, I had the honor of presenting an eponymously titled research paper at the Oxford Symposium on Religious Studies held at Margaret Thatcher Centre at Somerville College, Oxford University, United Kingdom in 2019.

Factum

At the FACTUM 2019 Fashion Communication Conference held in Ascona, Switzerland, I was privileged to present my poster “Looking back for a way forward: Bringing the Indian design language back in fashion”. It was also an opportunity to engage in enriching discussions with the international attendees and enhance the work I have been doing in this direction.

Inspirations for Graphic Design in India

April, 2021 saw the launch of ‘Inspirations for Graphic Design in India’, a publication co-authored by Ms. Jaya Jaitly and I, and one that is very close to my heart. Investigating the visual aspects of Indian craft and its various nuanced applications, the publication is the first-ever exercise of viewing Indian design as a contemporary concept rather than as simply a collection of scattered motifs. The idea behind the publication was to try and bind the history of design as seen in Indian crafts with modern graphic design. It is targeted at Indian and international audiences comprising students, educationists, researchers, designers, curators, art and craft aficionados, design institutes, and industries.

NIFT Collaterals

While these have been my efforts specifically geared towards decolonising Indian design curriculum, in my career spanning over two decades at the Department of Fashion Communication at National Institute of Fashion Technology, New Delhi, I have worked extensively in academia, and research & curriculum development of multiple courses in the field of visual communication and design strategy. Another facet of my responsibilities has been the conceptualisation, designing, and execution of the visual brand identity of NIFT through signage, collaterals, and website, as well as design projects of various kinds.

Curated Projects:

Recommended and conceptualized the idea of streamlining the Institute’s communication via the Corporate Communications Cell (CCC), 2004.

During my tenure as Center Coordinator-Fashion Communication Department, New Delhi (2008-2011) I strived towards amplifying design research by students and concretised their efforts by publishing the Department’s pioneering colloquium papers, which were acclaimed by premier institutes of design such as the Indian Institute of Technology, National Institute of Design. This succeeded in gestating a scientific temperament in the students of the Fashion Communication department. Other innovations for the Department included an introduction to traditional folk media as part of the curriculum; cross disciplinary exposure across creative fields like arts, music, theatre, architecture, puppetry, etc; craft documentation of various traditional art forms like phad painting, sanjhi paper art, and ganjifa cards to emphasize the trans-disciplinary approach to decolonisation of design education.

NIFT International Conference

Identity design, branding, designing of promotional collaterals, and conceptualisation of the inaugural event for the NIFT International Conference, 2018. Identity was derived from the gyan mudra and its juxtaposition with print, weave and embroidery in Indian textiles consistent with the conference theme of reconnecting with our culture. Perhaps the most memorable element conceptualized for the inaugural event was the tree of knowledge, which was much appreciated by the Hon’ble Minister of Textiles Smt. Smriti Z. Irani.

India Size

Conceptualisation and designing of the India Size logo, October 2018. India Size is a project sanctioned by the Ministry of Textiles, Govt. of India, under the Research and Development Scheme to develop Indian size charts based on body measurements of the Indian population for better fitting of ready-to-wear garments. It is expected that the retail garment industry will be hugely benefited from the outcome of the project.

Trade Facilitation Center, Varanasi

Visual enhancement of the Trade Facilitation Center, Varanasi, during the Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas, 2019. A three-dimensional facade celebrating the rich and diverse history of Varanasi, its crafts, its ghats, and its gloriously unique story was created for the event, along with other installations open area spaces and some sitting areas.

Rashtrapati Bhawan

Consulted on the ceiling design for Morning Hall at the historic Rashtrapati Bhavan where our rich cultural heritage was to be the central theme.

Ministry of Textiles

Design and execution of revamped Secretary’s office, conference room, guest waiting area, hall, and at the Ministry of Textiles, Udyog Bhavan, New Delhi incorporating the rich heritage of Indian handlooms and handicrafts, 2020.

Ministry of Textiles

Design Resource Center, Weaver Service Center

Worked on the Visual branding of the Design Resource Centers for eight Weaver Service Centers in New Delhi, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Varanasi, Bhubaneswar, Mumbai, Guwahati and Kanchipuram, 2021. Ten more in Indore, Panipat, Kolkata, Meerut, Nagpur, Imphal, Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Kannur are in the pipeline. The purpose of the Centres is to highlight the local textiles and weaving techniques as well as house libraries of all the patterns and publications.

Creative visualization of eight installations for the upcoming new Parliament House for Dastkari Haat Samiti, New Delhi, 2022. The designs of the installations include the workmanship of more than 200 craftspeople, with almost all regions of the country being represented.

Packaging for Crafts of Srinagar

Project head for the NIFT consultancy project for designing customized packaging for the handicrafts and handloom crafts of Jammu and Kashmir. The project is sponsored by the Directorate of Handloom and Handicraft Industries, and Commerce Department, Government of Jammu and Kashmir.

USTTAD

Currently working for the visual brand building, with the website as a priority, of the Upgrading the skills and training in traditional arts/crafts for development project (USTTAD), under the aegis of the Ministry of Minority Affairs.

Needless to say, this is an endeavor that is as fascinating in its depth as it is in the promise it holds as a means of creating a unique design language that is indigenous in vocabulary but universal in its grammar.

Collaborate

© Copyright Reserved. Dimple Bahl | Designed by The Billionth Way