Matrika Bhandari

Matrika is a design researcher based in London, New Delhi and Kolkata.

Design has a way of being impersonally personal. Coming from a commercial textile background, ‘design’ was industry and trend-driven, focused on what the market wanted. At the same time working with traditional craft practices led to discovering the importance of connection and people through design and textiles. This led to two distinct viewpoints that played key roles in her work as a designer and as a researcher.

She has worked with multidisciplinary design and textile studios. She engaged in different parts of the research and design development processes as well as using design strategies to create new systems.

Her journey at RCA began with understanding sustainability through various dimensions, it evolved into investigating how it is linked to the social responsibility of creativity and the ethical impact of design.

Achievements:

- Low कल: MA Research paper on Regenerative approach to sustainability- awarded Distinction at RCA, 2020

- Srijan: Design intervention and research- presented at Heimtexil Exhibition, New Delhi, 2018

- Most Creative Design Award, NIFT, New Delhi, 2018

Matrika is sitting on a chair, facing left, smiling brightly.

नील वर्ण (Neel Varna): The Blue Letter

Sustainability and its different dimensions have been the key element of my explorations at RCA. My investigations into the impact of traditional and cultural practices, on regenerative sustainable development, through Material, Technique, Design and Market led me to the question,

‘What is the Indian way of sustainable thinking?’

‘नील वर्ण (Neel Varna): The Blue Letter’ is a design research project rooted in sustainability, culture, and knowledge.

Craft is centred on indigenous, handmade knowledge and creativity that transcends generations and is linked with identity and kinship.

In the case of Asia, although Design is seen as a modern profession, it becomes both endogenous (an ancient activity of craftspeople) and exogenous (linked to development as it is framed in western terms).

It has the ability to either integrate or marginalise cultural practices.

Herein lie the two aspects of the Indian way of sustainable thinking- the artisan way and the designer way. What can amalgamate the two thought processes together?

I draw inspiration from the various cultures and locales I have experienced. Connecting them led me to Indigo, and thus Blue.

The process involves different design research techniques, through virtual interaction as well as field study and is based on the exchange of knowledge. The various existing dynamics between artisans and designers are explored parallelly.

I designed research processes based on Conversing, Mapping, Making and Creating to redefine Blue.

The methodology follows design research and cultural innovation to develop frameworks and systems, rooted in equity and inclusivity, for collaboration between designers and traditional artisans. It represents a new innovative means of collaborating to collect and analyse ways of thinking and ways of making.

RCA has been a journey of evolution, not only professional but personal as well. I realized through the course of my MA, that the process was about being in the constant evolution of thought, questioning and critiquing the current systems and introspecting my role within them.

I want to take this research forward and put the framework into practice in the industry. This could lead to a foundational shift grounded in empathy and equity to create a collaborative platform for co-designing. I am working towards establishing and developing my practice as a cross-cultural collaborator.

What is the Indian way of Sustainable Thinking?

Craft is centred on indigenous, handmade knowledge and creativity that transcends generations and is linked with identity and kinship. “In the case of Asia, although design is seen as a modern profession, it becomes both endogenous (an ancient activity of craftspeople), as well as exogenous (linked to development as it is framed in western terms).” Herein lie the two aspects of the Indian way of sustainable thinking- the artisan way and the designer way.

नील वर्ण: using Blue as the medium of exchange – Mapping the exchange of knowledge through Blue as a medium. Blue was the starting point, finding the common as well as diverse interpretations of blue through craft, culture, and artisan was the process of exchanging knowledge.

People of Blue – The people without whom this wouldn't have been possible.

Conversing through Blue – What is the role of colour in craft and its role through traditional craftsmen? Inter-relations of craft and colour were observed. Understanding the role of colour through diverse processes, creative identities and culture.

Mapping Blue – How can we trace the meaning and value of Blue? What connections arise between culture, surroundings, nature, Indigo, making practices and identity? Mapping with Zakiya.

Relation between tactile objects, locale, craft and meanings of Blue.

a group of different blue dyed fabrics collected by the artisan.

Tangible interpretation of Blue. Evolving the Mapping activity based on responses to develop an organic and in-depth understanding through culture. Tactile mapping with Zakiya

Making Blue – Communicating intangibles of knowledge through design research. Making has been a recurring theme in previous activities and conversations. Investigating the connection between craft, community, and education through Making.

different fabrics dyed in Natural Indigo of different shades

Making Blue with Adil

Textiles pieces made using the traditional technique of Bandhej from India

Making Blue with Zakiya

fabrics developed using various tie and dye techniques

Making Blue with Imran

fabrics developed using various and innovative block printing techniques

Making Blue with Tausif

a top view of a natural indigo vat in India

Creating Blue – How can knowledge exchanged be expressed through tactility and tangible objects? Creating demonstrative pieces to express knowledge exchanged on and through culture, craft and collaboration.

a contemporary demonstrative textile piece made using traditional techniques of Bandhej from India and dyed in Indigo

Creating Blue with Adil – A contemporary demonstrative textile piece made using traditional techniques of Bandhej from India and dyed in Indigo.

Creating Blue with Zakiya – A contemporary demonstrative textile piece made using traditional techniques of Bandhej from India and dyed in Indigo.

a contemporary demonstrative textile piece made using traditional techniques of Ajrakh from India and dyed in Indigo

Creating Blue with Tausif – A contemporary demonstrative textile piece made using traditional techniques of Ajrakh from India and dyed in Indigo.

Observing Blue

Blue has been the centre, the medium of this research. It becomes a medium of empathy, equity, knowledge, and collaboration. It represents Craft through Community, Sustenance through Community, and Knowledge through Community. Blue is the link between this and culture. Blue is the bridge between artisans and designers.

side angle view of the warp threads on a traditional handloom

Resolving Blue – Developing the methodology into frameworks for proof of concept.

An approach for designers that make a visible relational and reciprocal aspect of collaboration that is inclusive and interaction-based. Developing equity and inclusivity through design research and education.

In Collaboration with:

Somaiya Kala Vidya

An institute that imparts design education to traditional artisans of Kutch, India fostering self-sufficient and sustainable craft-based enterprises

Medium:

Indigo, Natural Dyes, Silk, Cotton, Traditional Craft Techniques, Photography, Film

नील वर्ण (Neel Varna): a short film – A short film communicating the essence of this research project.

In Collaboration with:

Vivek Jangid

Edit and Concept

Medium:

Short Film

Collaboration Design Intervention Documentary Experience Indian Culture Interview

नील कार्य (Neel Karya): the Book of Blue – A compilation of tactile objects made, created, collected throughout this research.

Medium:

Book of Textiles, Indigo, Natural Dyes, Silk, Cotton, Traditional Craft Techniques

Size:

12" by 17"

indigo book Textiles traditional craft practices

Why Blue? – Drawing inspiration from the cultures I have experience and leading to indigo as the connection.

The Indigo Book – Printing and Dyeing experiments to understand the properties of Natural Indigo.

Scanned pages of Indigo Book

Understanding Blue – Indigo led me to Blue. Investigating its meanings through secondary sources.

Medium:

Mixed Media, Indigo, Natural Dyes, Silk, Cotton, Traditional Craft Techniques, Photography

culture Knowledge natural indigo Research Sustainability Textiles

Matrika Bhandari

नील वर्ण (Neel Varna): The Blue Letter

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Royal College of Art