raw collaborative

At RAW Collaborative, @raw_collaborative our students experienced Kaali — a powerful textile installation by an artist who uses textile scrap as her primary medium, transforming discarded materials into expressive sculptural forms. Inspired by Kali, the goddess of transformation, awakening, and force, the work explores a liminal space where stillness transforms into movement and presence. Using suspended textile forms and carpet hangers, Kaali captures the moment of awakening — a figure rising from the ground and coming into full bloom. Through folds, textures, and gesture, the hanging elements begin to feel alive, embodying energy, rebirth, and feminine power. Through this interaction, our students explored how materials can move beyond function to become expressions of emotion, identity, and storytelling, turning textile scraps into a living sculptural experience. #cindrebay #kaali #rawcollaborative

RAW Collaborative_design cultures 2026 the project started with a deep research of understanding pottery as kumbhar ismail bhai practices it and by building the nimbhado(kiln) with him and his community. sketches, detailed drawings and visualisation into a 1:1 prototype helped us to imagine how the installation would look. we created with what was available and constraints makes the process efficient and simple rather than using industrial methods to prototype along with the support of @nin_gohil @moksha_rh all the raw material used in the nimbhado(kiln) were transported to kolkata, making every single part of the installation genuine. the installation was also designed in between journeys within different cities and between other commitments and projects, which demanded from us lots of problem solving, transportation planning and intensive efforts to put the installation all together. the production has been made possible by our dearest friends @daraab_sa.ab , @pinto_31116 @iam_pavanradapu @aakar_br @tanvikaria @bhawna_a_ @ritu612 @raw_collaborative

RAW Collaborative_design cultures 2026 in the last days of february and march, studio samayam exhibited at the Design Cultures exhibit of @raw_collaborative along with many other wonderful designers. our installation was a representation of the nimbhado(kiln) that kumbhar ismail bhai builds to bake his clay pieces in - the origin story of the naliya lamp. during the three day event our cofounder @waves.shree was making the naliya lamps while meeting many people to share stories of kumbhar ismail bhai, lodai, kachchh and the nimbhado(kiln). handmade, without glue and custom to the individual terracotta pieces, the naliya lamp invited people to sit down, become part of the installation and converse about the nimbhado(kiln), the traditional pottery kiln of kachchh and about craft as a system. making the lamps, engaging visitors in conversations and explaining the significance of the installation allowed us to share what it means to pick up a craft mindset and sparked conversations around craft, design, sustainability, gallery spaces, exhibitions and overall the importance of work like this. @aakar_br @tanvikaria @bhawna_a_ @ritu612 @raw_collaborative

There are objects, and then there are stories and narratives that weave meaning into the form. At the exhibit Everything but a Carpet, presented by @obeetee , our participants were drawn into a deeper reading of what a carpet can hold—process, memory, and narrative, far beyond its functional identity. At the heart of it all are the skilled artisans—whose patience, precision, and generational knowledge transform raw material into these remarkable, almost miraculous works. Through thoughtful interactions, the designers unfolded the journey of each piece—where material, technique, and storytelling come together with quiet precision. What emerged was not just an understanding of craft, but of intent—how something so familiar can be reimagined as a medium of expression. For our participants, this became a moment of pause and reflection, offering a closer look at the layered thinking behind contemporary craft practices. A generous sharing of process and perspective—making the experience both intimate and enduring. #cindrebay #carpet

Some experiences shift how you look at design—and RAW Collaborative was one of them. @raw_collaborative With its travelling format Design Cultures, RAW brought together the plurality of Indian design—engaging with craft traditions, contemporary practices, and cultural narratives. By dissolving boundaries between traditional and modern, local and global, it presented design as something lived—layered, diverse, and deeply connected to people and communities. Our participants had a curated walkthrough and direct interactions with designers, which made the experience especially meaningful—offering close exposure to the range, depth, and quality of work shaping contemporary design in India. This ideology aligned closely with the intent of our Kolkata Culture Walk, and became a key focal point of the tour—offering students a rare and valuable opportunity to engage directly with some of the most thoughtful and diverse design practices across the country. Being hosted in Kolkata for the first time, it found the perfect context in a city deeply rooted in art, culture, and design. We are especially grateful to the RAW team @raw_collaborative and @tanvikaria , @fictitious_fable_ for the thoughtfully curated walkthrough and their warm hospitality—it made the experience all the more enriching and meaningful for our participants. We also extend our thanks to the mentors from Cindrebay— @betultilley , @janisnaha , @gramerhaor and @kaustavkalyan for the guidance, insights, and constant engagement throughout the experience. #raw #cindrebay

RAW Collaborative became more than a visit—it quietly shifted how we read design. Through Design Cultures, it brought together a nuanced spectrum of Indian practices, where craft, contemporary expression, and cultural narratives existed seamlessly. For our participants, the curated walkthrough and conversations with designers offered a rare closeness to the thinking and material sensibilities shaping design in India today—making it a defining moment of the Kolkata Culture Walk. Experiences like these are essential in shaping a designer’s perspective, helping students develop a more informed and intuitive eye. We extend our sincere thanks to the RAW team @raw_collaborative and facilitators for their guidance and warm hospitality. #culturewalkskolkatta2026 #cindrebay #rawexhibition

Ecotone Futures: Letters to the Wetlands Presented at the KCC Gallery, Calcutta, as part of RAW Collaborative. This project began with a simple question: how do we bring the East Kolkata Wetlands into the gallery not as image, but as system, memory, and living public imagination? Ecotone Futures is a participatory installation that frames the wetlands as Kolkata’s living metabolism, a landscape that receives the city’s excess, transforms it through ecology and labor, and returns food, water, and resilience back to urban life. The structure draws from the form of water hyacinth and was built using cane and reclaimed fish nets gathered from the wetland edges near the gallery. The knots, stitches, tears, and ruptures in these nets carry the marks of use, repair, and ecological strain. Visitors were invited to write speculative letters to the wetlands and to future Kolkata. These letters formed a growing public archive in the space, and were later posted to real recipients, allowing the work to travel beyond the white box and into everyday life. This project is both an invitation and a question: what futures become possible when we begin to listen more deeply to the ecologies that already sustain us? @raw_collaborative @aakar_br @kccinkolkata #EcotoneFutures #LettersToTheWetlands #RAWCollaborative #KCC #Kolkata Calcutta EastKolkataWetlands InstallationArt SpeculativeFutures PublicArt DaseinLab

Ekti Triti The installation recalls the wandering ficus roots on Kolkata’s old facades — slow, persistent presences that quietly inscribe themselves into the city, at times even reshaping the streetscape. Here, the ficus becomes a metaphor for Bengal’s craft cultures — living veins that run through the region, binding and holding it together across time. At its centre rests a sculptural rattan bench crafted by master artisan Nopur Parida from Joynagar. Fluid in line and tactile in presence, the form carries the quiet generosity of Kolkata’s pavement life — an unspoken invitation to pause, sit, and belong. A handwoven jute tapestry by women weavers from the Gorumara region in the Duars stretches across and around it, introducing an earthen softness — a landscape-like texture that feels grown rather than placed. Encircling this core, a bamboo framework shaped in collaboration with Durga Pujo pandal artisans of Girish Park, led by Bidesh Dhara, moves lightly yet assertively through the composition. It binds the elements into a single continuous gesture — structural, celebratory, alive. Three materials. Three craft lineages across Bengal. Distinct in origin, unified in expression. What appears organic is deeply intentional — a contemporary articulation of collaboration, continuity, and collective making. Design team - @_nandiiiiniii_ , @_.humanistic_ , @_nightfury_1009 , @by.aheli Photography/Videography - @suvajit_chanda Design and Executed for Design cultures in Kolkata at @kccinkolkata by @raw_collaborative in association with @aakar_br #bamboo #handcrafted #furnituredesign #installation #rattan

Design Cultures by Raw Collaborative & Aakar is shaped not just by the work we show, but by the people who believe in it. Seeing so many friends and well-wishers come by, engage with the work and cheer us on meant so much. Thank you for the encouragement and for always being in our corner. #Aakar #DesignCultures #RawCollaborative #design

Some opportunities arrive quietly—and end up transforming everything. When @tanvikaria and @fictitious_fable_ from @raw_collaborative reached out to us to come on board as exhibit partners for their Kolkata show, it was completely unexpected. Being our first time as exhibition partners, we stepped in with a certain idea of what our role would be. We found ourselves working across two distinct yet deeply connected aspects—first, contributing to the overall exhibition and spatial design, shaping the larger experience; and second, creating a more intimate, personalised space at the entrance, rooted in the essence of Bengal. The space we helped build felt like a shared identity—belonging to @raw_collaborative , to Kirti Jalan Design Studio, and to Bengal. At the entrance, the installation told a story we strongly believe in—of dissolving boundaries between art, craft, design, and architecture. An experience we truly enjoyed, and one that taught us so much along the way. Pleased to have @aakar_br by @ritu612 @bhawna_a_ the visionaries, to get @raw_collaborative to kolkata, and making it a great success. Grateful to be trusted with this, and thankful for the opportunity to be part of something so special.#handmade #rattan #exhibitiondesign #jute #installation

A special moment for us at the Design Cultures by @raw_collaborative exhibit held at @kccinkolkata presented by @aakar_br We had the pleasure of welcoming ace architect Pinakin Patel @pinakin.official to the Ochre At Home booth. His thoughtful words of appreciation for our work were truly humbling — and all the more meaningful coming from a voice we deeply admire. Encounters like these remind us why we do what we do. Grateful, inspired, and quietly proud. Video Credit @rohit_think @ykc.media #OchreAtHome #RawCollaborative #DesignVoices #EditorialLiving #ajayaryafurniture

Exquisite moments from our Root & Grain collection at Design Cultures by @raw_collaborative held @kccinkolkata , presented by @aakar_br From thoughtful details to meaningful conversations, this showcase was more than just an exhibition—it was an experience shaped by every visitor who stopped, observed, and connected with our work. Grateful for the warmth, appreciation, and inspiring energy you brought, Kolkata 🤍 Your response made every piece feel even more alive. Here’s a glimpse of the moments that made it special 🎥 Video Credit @rohit_think @ykc.media #rootandgrain #designculture #rawcollaborative #ajayaryafurniture #ajayaryainteriors