Kolam
Mystical geometry showcased in the Dorner Prize exhibit at the RISD Museum
A Kolam is a geometric pattern drawn daily at the entrance of the home to invite prosperity and drive away evil spirits. In this representation, white over a darker background highlights the pattern’s geometric logic, while the red chosen from the RISD Museum’s graphic-design palette excites the eye as it spans the image.
The Dorner Prize is awarded annually to RISD undergraduate or graduate students for a temporary, site-specific project at the RISD Museum. This artistic intervention may take the form of physical, digital, or programmatic encounters that examine or critique the Museum’s historical and contemporary contexts, collections, architectural idiosyncrasies, habits of visitation, and/or web presence.
The patterns called "Kolam" in Tamil are traditional auspicious motifs handed down from ancient times in South India. The high artistic quality of their graphical structure has attracted and aroused intellectual curiosity. Though there are various styles of Kolam, this paper is directed to the string/knot style called "Kambikolam" of abstract appearance, which seems to follow a system of pattern formation.
We had the chance to collaborate with the Museum's curator and team in implementing our design. Throughout this entire endeavor, we acquired a wealth of knowledge on the process of carrying out commissioned projects in partnership with the Museum, adhering to their specifications and needs.
Design Process
The Outcomes
Timeline
2018
The Background
What is Kolam?
Vishnu Vijitatma Uppalapati
Team
Ramkumar Rajendran
