I'm a Brown Girl From India. Is Design for Me?

Over the years, after having dabbled in the creative industries for a while, one eventually has a better idea of its meandering allies. The journey that I embarked on from being a student of the University of Arts London to being a fresh graduate and eventually fighting for my way into this industry led me to have first-hand insight into many existing broiling issues in this industry.

I came to London in the year 2020. Whilst the apocalypse of a worldwide pandemic was ragging the roost, I landed in London with immense hope for a better future. Nevertheless, despite all the restrictions and hardships, I graduated with an M.A. in Graphic Branding and Identity.

What role does black critical thought play in the UK's creative industries?

There have been many significant changes in the UK's creative industries in recent years regarding ushering in the new era of Black Critical Thought. From 2013 to 2018, several art institutes in the UK organized several events to forgo the conversation on the rise of Black Critical Thought in the UK.

It is essential to question whether such events represent a call to action for the growing concerns of Black Critical Thought or if they are viable vehicles for intellectual politics of race in the UK, especially those managed by Goldsmiths University - Stefano Harney and Fred Moten, Black Studies, or those presented by the Showroom London - Grammars of the Fugitive's Denise Ferreria De Silva, 'Reading the Dead'.

A world in the post covid era

As the world plunged itself into its draconian policies of self-destruction, little did it know the consequences of its actions. The irony of the current scenario is whilst the penchant of humanity rooted for all plausible ways to establish its greatness and relinquish the needs of others, it eventually got stuck into the squandering of its intelligence. The year 2020 gave us a taste of our own medicine. During this period, life came to a full circle. From the very start of our humane existence, we have not only plundered and exploited the resources of this planet but also harbored very little to almost no respect for the importance of co-habitancy.

‘ADDA’ – A cultural insight into Bengal, the sweetest part of India

If I were ever to settle anywhere outside India in a far-off sheltered bay of classical Western shores or let alone Western shores, be it the tranquil mountain slopes of the western Alps the thing which I am going to miss the most is “adda”, especially Puja “adda”.

Adda or mutual gathering as we all know can take place at any hour of the day. People enjoy these addas over little fries or tea garnished with some leg-pulling of others. Though these gatherings are in the DNA of Bengalis critics of such culture have pointed out that modern Bengalis can never aspire to rise above the ten-to-five jobs because we love to waste a large part of our precious time indulging in such cultural banters. But anyhow these informal gatherings can be seen in every nook and corner of Bengal, be it roadside tea shops, bus stands, or shady boughs of trees. These are general addas but there is a different version that adds a new flavor altogether. It’s the Puja adda, the one we have in the presence of Maa Durga in the para pandals…..