Traditional grid systems of India

In this monthly session, G V Sreekumar will be in conversation with Poosapati Parameshwar Raju on the topic of “Traditional Grid Systems in India”.
This topic will be useful for those in the area of graphic design, product design, architecture, craft and artefacts.
In India, the grid was always a part of tradition and it has been practiced with the faith to the extent of religious doctrine. It has a large variety in form and application. In the past few centuries, the meaning of grid has shifted from interface between physical and super physical worlds to interface between physical world and its perception by the rational cognition. Process of creation is an initiation and a sharing knowledge of the craft and information gathered and referred from nature.
Listening, seeing, feeling, understanding and experiencing the physical forms and worshiping this source of creation gave an immense joy of being part of it. It was a source of wonder and an aesthetic which made living a wonderful experience.
Life in nature and its adaptation to its surroundings was a visual experience. This knowledge led to create things. The basics were from nature. The geometry to the existence and the functions of the five elements made creating of objects with added functionality a joyful experience.
From making of houses and shrines to toys for children to weaving to cultivation and gathering of food to making of vessels for cooking and using fire as a source of energy have a reference in nature. Looking for an answer or an idea is unique. People in various geographical regions have created and adopted things for their requirements which are related and referred to their surroundings. Hence the change of aesthetic and functionality of things created by them. There is so much creation around us. Being part of this creation helps in understanding nature better. One tends to look inside oneself and share that experience. The experience is different. Hence the variation in the same idea which makes creating a object exiting. This started a process of trade with and within the communities.
The exercise in this set is creating of products and images from shared information from nature. The speaker attempts to use this aesthetic in blending it into the narrative of nature.

Participation: Watch the livestream on this page and leave comments/questions for the speaker to address during the session.

About the Typography Society of India (TSI): TSI was set up by Prof. G V Sreekumar and a group of Typography and Calligraphy enthusiasts. He is a Professor and former Head of IDC school of Design at IIT Bombay. The main objective of this group is to provide a platform for interaction and to share knowledge on Calligraphy, Typography etc with design students, profesionals and academicians. TSI’s core group includes Prof Tarundeep Girdher (NID Ahmedabad), Dr D.Udayakumar (Dept of Design, IIT Guwahati and Designer of the Indian Rupee Sign) and Chirag Gander (CEO, The Minimalist). TSI started off as a small WhatsApp group for typography enthusiasts. It also has a facebook group called “Typography India”. facebook.com/typographyindia website: typographysociety.in email: sampark.tsi@gmail.com

Read about TSI on: https://typographyindia.blogspot.com/2020/09/the-typography-society-of-india-story.html