Rudranil Das and Briony Thomas

Visiting researcher and freelance designer; Lecturer in Design Theory
Calcutta, India and the University of Leeds, UK

Rudranil is based in West Bengal, India, renowned for its rich literary and cultural heritage. He studied textile design at the Government College of Art and Craft in Calcutta and the National Institute of Design (NID) in Ahmedabad where he developed a particular interest in design grammar and the technique of ‘wrapping’. A wrapped surface is created using threads, and is yet a woven, but dispays infinite scope for creating patterns, textures and structure. Rudranil works in textiles manufacture industry and also the crafts sector on government projects with co-operatives in villages of eastern India. He was awarded a Charles Wallace scholarship in 2012 for a visiting research fellowship to work with Briony Thomas in the Design Science Group at the University of Leeds.

Progression #1
Progression #1
24" x 24"
Wrapped cotton on board
2012

The characteristic gesture of line and shape can be seen to have a rhythm of its own. It is not entirely dependent on pattern, but also on the timed movement of the viewer's eye.

Harmony #1
Harmony #1
24" x 24"
Wrapped cotton on board
2012

A harmonic progression refers to a series of musical chords, while the chord of a circle is a line segment whose endpoints both lie on the circumference of the circle.

Chord #1
Chord #1
24" x 24"
Wrapped cotton on board
2012

Visual rhythm can be created through use of repetition and pattern. Exploring connections between geometry and music, a chord is explored both as a musical progression and a geometric device in the creation of visual harmony.