Raw Collaborative 2019 celebrated contemporary Indian design

Over the past three years, Raw Collaborative is known to have brought together some well-known as well as budding design talents from across the country on one platform, exhibiting their works to the connoisseurs of art, design and aesthetics. An overwhelming response from the fraternity as well as the masses has helped founders reaffirm their faith in the initiative.

Explaining the initial intent of the Ahmedabad-based initiative, founder Tanvi Karia, and co-founders Priyadarshini Rathore and Vishwa Bhatt Weir, said, "Through Raw Collaborative, our purpose has been to highlight the timelessness of thought, design and talent within the country and across the world. With the third edition, we wished to open up aspects of collaborative design to present different perspectives of product design, craft and art together and through the eyes of invited curators."

The third edition of Raw Collaborative presented an array of designs in various categories - from product design to textile design to craft and its allied fields. The showcase attempted to bridge the gap between the masses and design contemporaries, opening them up to the miracles of detailing, finesse, quality and style. Talking about the journey of the team, Karia said, “Looking back at Raw Collaborative over the years, we feel extremely privileged to have the best from the design fraternity with us throughout, including Rooshad Shroff, Sandeep Sangaru, Aayush Kasliwal, Hiren Patel and Rebecca Reubens, who have been torch bearers in bringing Indian craft into the mainstream. Our intent of elevating design to a place where it is appreciated for its processes, narratives, craftsmanship, quality and experimentation has been fulfilled.”

As the name suggests, the collaboration was showcased in its absolute vibrancy at the Mill Owners’ Association Building from November 28-December 1, 2019. The platform witnessed Indian designers with varied design sensibilities coming together to collaborate with each other, with artisans and with makers who are losing their craft in the swamp of modern day retailing of furniture, art and lifestyle products.

As five curated Collaborative Gallery spaces hosted the event, renowned architects and designers were invited to curate galleries on themes like Inspire and Ignite by Hiren Patel, Re-imagining the Primitive by Samira Rathod, Craft: Past, Present, Future by Vallari Harshwal, as well as Kashmir and Northeast by Sandeep Sangaru.

Showcasing in and around Le Corbusier’s architectural marvel in Ahmedabad, the event saw the curation of 29 talented participating designers and studios from across the country, presenting extraordinary furniture pieces, installations, art pieces and craft works.

Highlighting craft as an integral part of the culture, Nehal Desai curated the Craft Collective gallery that brought together works of artisans in the field of Kutchi fabric and durrie weaving, pottery and saghwan block carving.

The Young Designers Gallery and the Visual Art Gallery curated by the team of Raw Collaborative showcased works of designers in the making, working with different mediums in product design, ceramics, textile design, mosaic art, oil pastels and textile art.

Karia explained how platforms such as Raw Collaborative are revitalising existing design energies. “At the end of the third edition, it has been overwhelming to witness such spirited young design talents from across the country. The future of design, the future of Indian design and the future of craft looks bright with these young practitioners braving into zones that were hardly explored before including collaborations in ceramics, textiles, glass, metal, accessories, installation art, furniture, lighting as well as visual arts.”

One of the participants at the exhibition, Nishita Kamdar, said, “As the first big showcase for P.O.D., this served as an apt platform, as the focus of the show was primarily on young products designers and artists, who are making, creating and manufacturing in India. It was extremely overwhelming as well as encouraging to be in the same space with some fantastic other young as well as senior designers like Samira Rathod and Rooshad Shroff, whose work we look up to.”

Constant efforts were made during the curation of the event to present a variety of design formats. Through installations like Ankon Mitra’s origami work based on Le Corbusier's 1964 enamel work - Icône (Icon in English), Rise Design Arts’ artwork highlighting confluence of art, engineering and design, and a photography exhibition by Vinay Panjwani, not only was the venue thriving with varied mediums of expressing art but also transpired as a one-stop destination to experience the most enigmatic contemporary design talent emerging from the country.

The event spread over four days also featured RawTalks on various relevant topics and workshops, providing the participants and visitors intriguing insights and thoughts in the world of design.