Authored and Curated by Rashmi Varma & Swapnaa Tamhane
This book aims to find a language for design within India – taking into account histories of craft, colonial influences, trade between neighbouring countries, pre and post-Partition, and what contemporary design is. There is no one word for 'design' in either Sanskrit or Hindi, and so we chose the word "sār" which means essence. We were looking for what an essence of an object could be that could reflect a sensibility.
Photography by Prarthna Singh
Press:
https://www.architecturaldigest.in/content/book-review-sar-essence-indian-design/
https://design-anthology.com/story/sar-the-essence-of-indian-design
https://artreview.com/ara-summer-2016-book-sar-the-essence-of-indian-design-and-new-thai-style/
https://www.vogue.com/article/design-books-around-the-world
https://www.bestdesignbooks.eu/sar-essence-indian-design/
https://www.vervemagazine.in/arts-and-culture/viewing-india-through-the-lens-of-kitsch
https://www.metropolismag.com/design/arts-culture/a-snapshot-of-modern-indian-design-in-200-objects/