“Shakti”: An Artistic Residency Redefining Indian Craftsmanship and Contemporary Design
The Bridge Between Tradition and Innovation
Amid the growing global interest in authentic handicrafts and design innovation, the “Shakti Design Residency” program emerges as a pioneering cultural initiative that bridges the past and present. The program aims to merge traditional craftsmanship with modern creative vision. It explores new horizons of collaboration between Indian designers and artisans. “Shakti” strives to redefine the aesthetic values associated with design and craftsmanship while preserving the global contemporary context.
Shalini Misra: Between Three Capitals and Three Decades of Passion
Designer Shalini Misra founded the program after over thirty years of working on upscale decor projects worldwide. Born in India, Shalini currently divides her time between Delhi, New York, and London. Throughout her career, she has collaborated with many talented artisans. She has also developed her own vision of the potential of Indian crafts.
Through her experience, Shalini recognized that Indian craftsmanship can transcend its local boundaries and reach a global audience. This is possible as long as it is presented in a contemporary context that resonates with global values.
Timing and Global Transformation
According to Shalini, the current moment is ideal for directing attention to local artisans and highlighting their role in shaping a new design language. The world is witnessing a remarkable shift towards valuing manual skills and sustainable innovations. Therefore, the “Shakti” program offers a fantastic opportunity to spotlight these crafts. It marks a turning point in rediscovering the potential of Indian craftsmanship, not only in India but across the globe.
A Residency Program Redefining the Relationship Between Designer and Craft
An Immersive Experience of Tradition and Innovation
In the spring of 2024, Shalini Misra and her team launched an open call for an unconventional artistic residency program. Five emerging designers from diverse cultural backgrounds were selected for the program. These designers traveled to India to participate in a collaborative experience with five prominent craft workshops. This unique opportunity allowed them to delve into traditional crafts and transform these influences into contemporary designs.
Crafting a New Vision with Traditional Techniques
Spanning over four weeks, the residency allowed designers to work closely with renowned studios, including Tarun Tahiliani, Studio Clove, Vikram Goyal, Sajad Jaipur, and the Chanakya School of Crafts. This immersive experience went beyond theoretical learning. Each designer was tasked with creating a new collection inspired by the crafts they had explored. Through this hands-on work, they learned how traditional handcrafts could be reimagined into modern designs that resonate globally.
Presenting Limited Edition Designs
At Al Kova 2025, the outcomes of this residency will be showcased during Milan Design Week. The works created during the program will be available in limited editions, emphasizing their uniqueness and enhancing their cultural and artistic value. This limited availability will add exclusivity and deepen the symbolic significance of each piece.
Ultimately, the program strives to revive the value of “handmade” traditions and broaden their reach to a global audience that appreciates their cultural and artistic depth.
Support from Global Design Communities
An advisory committee, comprising influential figures from the global design and cultural scenes, guided the residency. The committee included:
• Yves Behar
• Marcin Rusak
• Nina Yashar (Founder of Nilufar Gallery)
• Sonali Rastogi
• Benjamin Bollin
• Alexis Georgacopoulos (Director of ECAL)
• David Alhadeff (Founder of The Future Perfect)
With their diverse expertise, the committee enriched the program, helping participants create designs that reflected both cultural context and craftsmanship.
Exploring India’s Heritage Beyond the Workshops
The residency experience went beyond the workshops. Designers also had the opportunity to visit homes, palaces, and exhibitions in Delhi, Jaipur, and Mumbai. These excursions provided insights into how architecture, crafts, and cultural heritage shape design. The visits inspired participants and encouraged them to develop designs that incorporated a more inclusive and culturally relevant perspective.
The First Fruits of the Shakti Design Residency: Duwi Han × Tarun Tahiliani
A Cultural and Innovative Collaboration
One of the most remarkable projects presented at Al Kova 2025, as a product of the Shakti Design Residency, is the partnership between Duwi Han, a Chinese designer with a Bachelor’s degree in Architecture from Cornell University, and Tarun Tahiliani, a leading figure in India’s fashion scene.
Duwi Han’s Enriching Creative Journey
Duwi Han is celebrated for his unique ability to merge architectural expertise with traditional craftsmanship, a talent that has earned him recognition in the design world. In 2023, he won the prestigious Créateurs Design Award and, in 2025, contributed to curating the “Curated” section of the Collectible Design Fair in Brussels. His collaboration with Tarun Tahiliani during the Shakti Residency offered him the opportunity to delve into the world of traditional Indian fashion, where he fused intricate techniques into contemporary design.
Integrating Heritage with Traditional Craftsmanship
From the very outset, Han’s experience at the Shakti Residency was immersive and thought-provoking. He immersed himself in India’s rich culture and craftsmanship, with a particular focus on two concepts: “fidelity” and “storytelling,” which are deeply embedded in Indian wedding traditions. Over the course of the program, he created a series of pieces, including a chandelier, a table lamp, and a chair-seat combination, each designed to explore the cultural depth of India’s visual and material heritage.
Designs Inspired by Indian Culture
• The Chandelier: The design of the chandelier was inspired by the circular motifs prevalent in Indian visual culture. It seamlessly combined spiritual and religious elements, reflecting sacred rituals through its geometric form.
• The Table Lamp: Drawing from the pleating patterns of the traditional Choli blouse, the table lamp beautifully blended classic craftsmanship with a modern aesthetic.
• The Chair/Seat: This piece, inspired by the traditional Sherwani worn by Indian grooms, featured intricate detailing that highlighted the influence of Indian sartorial traditions.
Artistic Influences on the Design Process
The overall design philosophy for these pieces was deeply rooted in Mughal painting traditions. A notable design illustrated an artisan embroidering a textile, underscoring the designer’s commitment to preserving India’s craft heritage while elevating its cultural significance in contemporary art.
KiKi Shudikova × Studio Clove: Exploring Architecture Through ‘Vista’
Collaboration Merging Tradition and Innovation
KiKi Shudikova, a Slovak industrial designer based in New York, collaborated with Studio Clove to create the ‘Vista’ collection, inspired by the architectural arches common in India. These arches represent a traditional visual symbol found in many historical Indian buildings and played a significant role in shaping the design concept of this collection.
Uniqueness of the Design
The ‘Vista’ collection consists of five unique glass pieces, each characterized by distinctive color gradients. These gradients harmonize with the architectural style of Indian engineering, giving each piece an innovative artistic touch. The collection was achieved by blending architectural art with industrial design, reflecting a delicate balance between graphic elements and architectural perspective.
KiKi Shudikova: A Remarkable Career Journey
KiKi Shudikova has earned numerous awards over her multi-year career. She is widely recognized for her private furniture and lighting collections, as well as her highly successful commercial projects. Her collaboration with Studio Clove, known for its handmade blown chandeliers and distinctive glassworks, was an important milestone, adding a new dimension to these art pieces.
Art Pieces Reflecting the Indian Spirit
Each piece in the ‘Vista’ collection features symbolic color gradients that reflect a profound connection to India’s cultural, spiritual, and natural elements. Through these sculptural pieces, Shudikova successfully embodies the Indian spirit in glass designs, maintaining a balance between contemporary art and the deep historical ties to Indian heritage.
The Collaboration of Traditional and Contemporary Design
This collaboration between KiKi Shudikova and Studio Clove represents a fusion of Western creativity and traditional Indian design, with Indian architectural symbols seamlessly integrated into contemporary designs that come to life.
Luca Gruber × Vikram Goyal: A Design Embodying the Energy of Chakras
Balance Between Spiritual Philosophy and Contemporary Creativity
In the world of modern design, where spiritual philosophy meets contemporary creativity, we find artworks that reflect a delicate balance between symbolic meaning and visual beauty. Among these works is the collaboration between German designer Luca Gruber and Indian artisan Vikram Goyal. Together, Gruber and Goyal created a collection of tables infused with the spiritual symbolism of the “chakra” philosophy.
The Spiritual Philosophy of the Seven Chakras
The chakra philosophy is based on the concept of energy in the human body, where each chakra represents a center of energy connected to a specific area of the body and a particular mental and spiritual state. The human body consists of seven primary chakras, ranging from the base of the spine to the crown of the head. These points are not just centers of energy but represent spiritual and physical dimensions that influence a person’s health and inner balance.
The Symbolic Table Designs
The collection of tables designed by Gruber serves as a visual representation of these chakras. Each table features seven circular surfaces, each reflecting a specific chakra through the use of a semi-precious stone that aligns with the energy of that point. For example: • The Red Table: Represents the Root Chakra (Muladhara). • The Purple Table: Represents the Crown Chakra (Sahasrara).
Traditional Craftsmanship and Modern Design
What sets these pieces apart is the fusion of traditional Indian craftsmanship with contemporary innovation. Vikram Goyal used traditional Indian techniques in metalworking, designing the wavy copper legs of the tables. These legs represent the nadis, the vital channels that connect the chakras and ensure the flow of energy between them.
Symbolism and Spirituality in Design
Beyond the visual appeal of the tables, each piece carries a spiritual message. The designs are not merely decorative items but serve as tools to enhance balance and energy within the spaces where they are placed. The use of semi-precious stones in the tables amplifies their spiritual effect, helping to direct energy to the areas needed by the body and mind.
Helena Bajaj Larsen × Jaipur Rugs: Merging Art and Modern Techniques in Carpet Making
An Innovative and Futuristic Textile Designer
Helena Bajaj Larsen is a multidisciplinary textile designer known for her diverse cultural backgrounds and global experiences, moving between France, India, and Dubai, working at the intersection of art and interior design. Larsen specifically focuses on collaborating with artisan communities in the Global South, fostering cultural exchange between different parties. Of Indian and Norwegian descent, she graduated from Parsons School of Design in New York and SDA Bocconi in Milan. She is the only resident in the Shakti program with prior experience in production within India.
Collaboration with Jaipur Rugs: Focusing on Handcrafts
In the Shakti program, Larsen was paired with Jaipur Rugs, one of India’s largest manufacturers of hand-knotted rugs, with a rich heritage in the industry. This opportunity allowed Larsen to deepen her exploration of hand-painted silk carpets in an abstract style, a technique that has become her signature artistic touch.
Designing Rugs Inspired by Nature and Maps
The series of rugs developed by Larsen is inspired by her ongoing research into maps, veins, and roots, themes that have influenced her design vision. The design process began manually, with Larsen creating the initial drawings herself. These drawings were then converted into a digital format through CAD (Computer-Aided Design).
Innovation in Dyeing and Modern Techniques
After developing the drawings, Larsen conducted extensive experiments with dyes and embroidery to create new and captivating artistic effects. She continued to analyze high-resolution images of her silk works on a computer, deconstructing the colors pixel by pixel, which allowed her to match them with materials with great precision. This approach enabled her to combine the free-flowing nature of abstract images with the technical accuracy required in rug design, resulting in a unique fusion of abstract art and modern technology.
Innovative and Distinctive Outcome
The result was luxurious handwoven rugs featuring abstract designs that merge artistic imagination with technical innovation. This blend highlights Helena Bajaj Larsen’s ability to create contemporary designs that reflect deep cultural roots while simultaneously showcasing her ability to merge traditional Indian craftsmanship with modern digital techniques.
Aya Kobata × Chanakya School of Crafts: Reimagining Cultural Patterns and Traditional Techniques
Designer Bridging Heritage and Contemporary Art
Aya Kobata is a Japanese designer specializing in textiles and graphic works that reimagine traditional patterns, talismans, and cultural stories. After living in New York and Europe, her creative philosophy has become a rich blend of influences from her Japanese culture, seen through a global, multi-experience perspective.
Collaboration with the Chanakya School of Crafts: Empowering Women and Traditional Crafts
In the Shakti program, Kobata collaborated with the Chanakya School of Crafts, a non-profit institution focused on traditional crafts, culture, and creating new independence for women. The school teaches over 300 hand-embroidery techniques within a comprehensive curriculum that enhances artistic skills and encourages the preservation of craft heritage.
The Artwork: Embodying Indian Cultural Symbols
The collaboration between Chanakya and Kobata resulted in a wall-hanging artwork featuring intricate embroidery that reimagines Indian cultural symbols inspired by the designer’s roots and her multifaceted horizons. This piece is a representation of vital energy and continuous creation.
Symbolism and Spirituality in the Artwork
The artwork created by Kobata embodies the energy of sunrise, symbolizing purification, creativity, and limitless potential. It reflects Indian spirituality and the deep inspiration that mirrors the designer’s desire to merge Japanese culture with Indian symbols, creating artworks that carry multidimensional concepts.
