During my internship with Singapore Indian Fine Arts Society (SIFAS), I had the privilege of developing the branding concept for the institution’s much-anticipated Festival of Arts. This year’s festival theme was “Kalpana”, which means imagination in Hindi. The 12-day-long festival happens annually around April and explores the diversity of Indian culture and heritage by reimagining the future.
After researching to gather inspiration for this concept, my team and I considered developing a design system resembling a mandala. This design element stays true to the roots of Indian culture and yet offers room for creative improvisations.
In terms of the illustrative style, I chose to follow the kalamkari print, which is often used on fabrics and other prints.
To infuse a modern touch to a traditional concept, I used neon colours instead of the typical muted tones used in Kalamkari designs.Since the festival revolves around music, dance and art, I have depicted instruments and Indian dance elements (such as hand gestures) in the mandala.
The 3 main shows of the Festival of Arts each used the mandala at different angles and against different backgrounds to create a versatile design system.
