A conversation with BA (Hons) Interior Design graduate, Chaity Barua

A conversation with Chaity Barua

This month, I spoke with BA (Hons) Interior Spatial Design graduate from Chelsea College of Art, Chaity Barua, about her work and transcultural experiences. I included Chaity in the Team LEWIS Foundation annual exhibition with recent graduates from 2020-2021. We talk about building a professional practice after graduating from a university design programme, and the significance of problem-solving design ideas.


JY: Tell me about yourself. 

CB: I was born in Bangladesh, but grown up in Italy. As a designer, I try my best to illustrate and cope with theme projects that are able to manifest or even illustrate today's endless difference between culture, gender, religion, and social class system etc. Therefore my knowledge and curiosities regarding different cultural values, the way I see and approach my work is strongly affected by it. Specifically, the different social interaction systems present in India.


JY: What is your practice (and/or the work you do now)?


CB: I am now working as a freelancer. I try to cope with design ideas that can be related more to a contemporary social justice system, themes such as (rich/poor, equality). I think, is really important to design ideas that can bring change to today's society, the way we think and interact. I use my drawings as a "conversation" to connect with others in order to bring any change to society, even small.


JY: How you make/do your work (job or practice)? 


CB: I do my work through a research process, always on the hunt for thematics that are unique and strong on their own. Followed by analysis and questions regarding the thematic which will then allow me to respond and illustrate the issues regarding a certain subject. 


JY: What do you do when you're not working (hobbies or interests)? 


CB: Photography and painting is my hobby. Even though I want to start a course in playing the piano. I like to take photos of the daily lifestyle of people in the city as well as portraits. It allows me to get inspired.


JY: What inspires you (in different ways: creative, positive, negative, or genal ways)?


CB: To be honest, what inspires me are the issues regarding any subject matter. If there is a problem regarding a theme that means that a certain subject needs problem-solving design ideas. Problems allow designs to reflect in a boundless way.


JY: What problems do you face as a maker/recent graduate? What problems in your practice/work/or related hobby?  


CB: I guess, the issue is not being able to get as many opportunities to showcase our abilities as graduates. And given the whole pandemic situation, it certainly makes things more complicated, not being able to explore as much as the time before the pandemic, social interaction, connectivity with other artists/designers etc...


JY: How do you address these problems?


CB: The reason behind,I try to engage with other artists/designers through my social media. I share my work and ideas by posting in social, hoping it might bring any change to someone or something.


JY: What works (art or in another field) by others do you find important or significant?


CB: I think music works kind of hand in hand with art. The power of both music and art in sending a message is unimaginable.


To end our conversation, I turn to Chaity's designs. As a practising designer, Chaity Barua shared her recent work, which I included in this year's  Team LEWIS Foundation annual exhibition of recent graduates' work at Millbank Tower. Below Chaity shared more details about her work. 



Hallway 1 (2020)



Hallway 2 (2020)



Making Ornaments (2020)


About the Work


The tension between old and new, the rich and poor and the historical and modern is clear, as slum housing exists alongside modern luxury high-rises, old community clash with new migrants, and the city struggles with overpopulation, inequality and the clamour of progress versus history. I was born in Bangladesh but grown up in Italy. Therefore my knowledge and curiosities regarding different cultural values, the way I see and approach my work is strongly affected by it. Specifically, the different social interaction systems present in India. Therefore, this project focus to safeguard and develop a social class gap between rich and poor that is visible through the contrast between spatial configurations that have been adapted in the landscape, in order to provide space to migrants from a nearby village, called the "Dharavi slum" in Mumbai, India.

The people are driven by their cultural influence and religious festivities to create and keep a strong social value. Therefore, the idea is to, given the strong distinction between rich and poor in Mumbai, to provide a Temple which will function as a hub between the two social class, where through the rich social activities present in Chawl will help to forge the connection between rich and
poor.


Hallway 1 (2020)
Being informal settlements the activities in slum takes place in a different hallway. Because, they have direct access to the street usually buying, selling, playing happens to be in the streets. Daily activities such as taking shower and cooking happen on the corner of the street.


Hallway 2 (2020)
Some activities happen in another hallway such as playing, selling, local business, sewing business, street barbershop. Through these activities, people have created a city within a city where they can find their daily needs right in front there living space in the street.


Making Ornaments (2020)

Being a place of worship, indoor activities such as religious activities is important to take into consideration, keeping this in mind the design provides a space wherein religious festivals mostly the women from the lower and upper-class system would engage by making floral and colourful ornaments on the floor, right in front of the statue of God.

@chaityin.design 

https://graduateshowcase.arts.ac.uk/projects/4180/common-ground-chaity-barua/pages/1


Check out the Team LEWIS Foundation webpage for more details about the annual exhibition. 


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Art and Environmental Justice: How Art Can Promote a Sustainable Future

Image
 Art and Environmental Justice: How Art Can Promote a Sustainable Future By Dr Joshua Y’Barbo (7 May 2024) Earth's Day (Hurt, Sad, Upset) (2023) by Joshua Y'Barbo Colour pencil, sticker, and pen on paper. 210 mm x 297 mm. Introduction As an artist-in-residence for the TEAM LEWIS Foundation , I research important social and sustainability issues within art and culture at the  intersections of the creative and communication industries . Last month, I hosted Earth Day , which inspired me to write about how art can promote a more sustainable future.  Art has been a powerful tool for advocacy throughout history, particularly in global challenges we’ve faced over recent decades. In more recent years, art projects have become a means of promoting environmental justice.  Art has the capacity to raise awareness, to engage creativity for addressing complex problems, and may also support transformation to sustainability ( Dieleman 2017 ). However, the impact and outcome of a g...
Read more

Art Lesson for Earth Day: Using Art to Promote Environmental Justice

Image
 Art Lesson for Earth Day: Using Art to Promote Environmental Justice Created by Joshua Y'Barbo on 13 May 2024 via https://5minutelessonplan.co.uk/ As an artist for the TEAM LEWIS Foundation , I constantly research the intersection of the creative and communication industries and significant global, sustainable concerns. Last month, I explored the connections between art and Earth Day. After finishing an article highlighting art and environmental justice, I created a lesson plan for those interested in teaching how art can promote a sustainable future. Big Picture This lesson explores how art can be used to advocate for environmental justice, raise awareness about climate issues, and inspire action. Students will engage in various art forms to visually represent and tell stories about environmental challenges and solutions. Objectives • Understand the role of art in promoting environmental justice • Learn how art can raise awareness and inspire action on climate issues • Eng...
Read more

Participatory Art and Labour: Exploring Creative Collaboration and Advocacy

Image
Participatory Art and Labour: Exploring Creative Collaboration and Advocacy Dr Joshua Y'Barbo   Wash Your Memory Inflation (2023) by  Choeun Kim.  Digital Print. As an artist-in-residence for the TEAM LEWIS Foundation , I research intersections between art and communication, which involves writing about important social and sustainability issues within art and culture. Last month, we celebrated May Day , a historically significant day in the labour movement, marking the global recognition of workers' contributions and the achievements of the international labour movement. This meaningful occasion, deeply rooted in the struggle for workers' rights, serves as a fitting time to acknowledge the role of participatory, socially engaged art in advocating for workers' rights and social change. These art forms have been instrumental in engaging communities, expressing the struggles and triumphs of the working class, and highlighting social justice and inequality issues. Through...
Read more