Shibani Dasgupta Jain on transforming homes into living art installations that narrate cultural stories
With a commitment to preserving and reviving indigenous craftsmanship, Shibani Dasgupta Jain has been creating spaces that are not just visually stunning but deeply immersive. Through a meticulous curation of traditional crafts like Thikri mirror work, Silver Leaf painting, Sozni embroidery, copper enamel, and Mata Ni Pachedi textiles, Baaya transforms homes into living art installations that narrate cultural and artistic stories.
Baaya directly collaborates with master artisans across India to blend India’s rich artistic heritage with contemporary design. From hand-carved wooden installations to traditionally handcrafted mosaic artworks, each space embodies a unique confluence of old-world artistry and modern aesthetics. We speak with Shibani to more about the idea behind her work.
Excerpts:
How would you define your brand?
Harmonious, serene, humane, artisanal.
These principles guide everything we create and represent our commitment to bringing thoughtfully crafted art into modern spaces.
How do you make sure that the pieces are classic, timeless, yet a good fit for modern homes?
Our signature range is layered through the stories we tell—stories with nuance that reveal new angles as you engage with them. This thoughtfulness and sense of belief throughout our art is what makes it classic. We create pieces with depth that can be discovered over time, ensuring they remain relevant and meaningful. While maintaining our core aesthetic, we introduce fresh interpretations every few months, allowing our collection to evolve while remaining timeless.
How do you ensure that the pieces are sustainable too?
Sustainability is built into our process from the ground up. Our artisans work from their homes, eliminating the need for migration and reducing environmental impact. We prioritise reusable and organic materials in our creations. Most traditional craft forms we work with inherently use sustainable natural materials—whether it's Lippan work with clay and mirrors, wood carving using responsibly-sourced wood, or natural dyes in textiles and other art forms. By supporting these traditional crafts, we're also preserving sustainable practices that have been refined over generations.
What kind of designs do you usually do? What are your favourite motifs?
Our designs draw inspiration from multiple sources: the natural world, urban narratives, human connections, and biophilic elements that foster harmony, serenity, and joy. Nature is a constant muse; we celebrate organic forms, botanical elements, and the intricate patterns found in landscapes and ecosystems. We're heavily influenced by cultural artistic traditions, incorporating motifs from Gond art textures, Pichwai paintings, and the embroidered forms of Kutch. These traditional influences are reinterpreted through our contemporary lens.
We're particularly drawn to motifs that create a sense of connection—between people, between humans and nature, and between past and present. Animals, birds, trees, and flowing water frequently appear in our work, as do abstract representations of human gatherings and celebrations. These elements help create spaces that feel both grounded in tradition and perfectly at home in contemporary settings.
You work with a lot of artisans. Do you train them to make functional, modern pieces?
Yes, we actively train our artisans to adapt their traditional techniques for contemporary applications. We're often involved in helping them re-engineer their processes, introducing new ways and ideas to create functional pieces that maintain cultural authenticity. For instance, while working on the Marasa Sarovar project, we innovated with the Dokra craft form by reimagining how it's made. We wanted to create pieces on a curved surface, shaped like a convex dome, with each piece measuring 24 inches in diameter. This required significant technical adaptation of the traditional casting method to achieve both the scale and the curved form while preserving the distinctive character of Dokra. Similarly, we've collaborated with enamel artists to apply copper enamel on curved surfaces—an innovation that expands their creative possibilities. Baaya has innovated extensively with this craft by experimenting and exploring new possibilities to expand the horizons of what can be achieved with traditional enamelling. These explorations allow us to create contemporary pieces that honour the craft's heritage while meeting modern design sensibilities.
How do you want to become a medium between the artists and the buyers?
We strive to close the gap between artisans and consumers. For artisans, we provide exposure to markets and insights into current consumer preferences.
For buyers, we consistently educate about the craft processes, highlighting the meaningful differences between mass-produced items and handcrafted pieces. This educational approach helps build appreciation for the value, time, and skill invested in each creation.
Do you feel people are falling back upon Indian prints and works to decorate their spaces?
There's definitely increased demand compared to previous years, coinciding with greater availability of these artistic traditions. We're witnessing enhanced interest in cultural themes as people seek to connect with their roots through art. This revival isn't just about decoration; it's about bringing meaning and heritage into contemporary spaces.
What's in the pipeline?
We're particularly excited about several major initiatives in our pipeline. First is our Alai Osai residential project, one of our largest undertakings since the Shibani-Vipul Jain House. As the name suggests, "Sound of Waves", this project translates Chennai's coastal essence through elaborate artworks featuring local flora and fauna. One standout piece is a magnificent helix installation weighing approximately 400kg and extending 11 feet, where every twist reveals new stories crafted in traditional materials with contemporary design approaches.
Our Experience Centre, which opened recently, has become a significant part of our growth strategy. Beyond being a showroom for our signature products and artefacts, it's evolving into a vibrant community space, and we host regular events for the arts and crafts community. We have also curated a new collection of artefacts that tell specific cultural stories while functioning as conversation starters in modern interiors.
How do you make sure that the artisans are not underpaid? How do they hone their skills? How do you choose your artisans?
We prioritise fair compensation. Our artisans get paid first, even if clients default on payments. We establish fair pricing that values their expertise and time. Skills development happens through collaborative exploration; our artisans learn and grow with us as we take on new challenges together. As for selection, we seek artisans who are open to innovation, enjoy exploration, and are highly skilled in their craft. I personally travel to various craft clusters to identify artisans whose aesthetic sensibilities align with ours and who demonstrate an ability to translate contemporary ideas while honouring traditional techniques.
Products start at INR 8000.