Projection mapping explorations rooted in connection, culture and emotional resonance.
Home: The Organised Chaos
A map of memory, movement, and madness. Inspired by Indian roads.
What I missed the most after moving across the world was the honks, the zigzagging traffic, the chaos that somehow always found its rhythm.
I decided to recreate the feeling of driving at home using abstract geometry. I built a layered 3D structure loosely resembling the map of India and animated projected lines to mimic turn indicators flickering repeatedly, changing directions erratically. The outcome was humorous, familiar, and oddly beautiful.
In the Indian context, this piece resonated with the concept of jugaad; the informal, improvisational spirit with which people navigate even the most complex systems. What might seem like chaos to an outsider is actually a deeply ingrained cultural rhythm.
Maya: Time is a Trick
A layered projection exploring India’s cyclical view of time and the distortion of perception.
In Indian philosophy, time is often seen as non-linear. More cyclical than chronological, more philosophical than mechanical. Inspired by this, I set out to explore the concept of maya — the illusion of reality.
I used two cameras to capture two moments from two different spaces, and mapped them across four staggered surfaces. Two projections showed the same scene at different points in time, while the other two mirrored this effect with a second setting. The visual result was disorienting and fragmented, making it nearly impossible to tell what was live, what was delayed, and what was real.
In doing this, I wanted viewers to feel that sense of dislocation, similar to what we felt as international students navigating time zones, cultural shifts, and our own expectations of identity.
Letters to Home
A visual bridge between homes told through projection, animation, and handwritten emotion.
One of the most emotionally grounding exercises I did was this installation made from our own handwritten letters to home. In it, I animated the written content and projected it onto two juxtaposed surfaces.
The two visuals played simultaneously, weaving the emotional content of the letters with imagery that captured two realities. On one side, the fast-paced anonymity of New York. On the other, warm familiar streets, family meals, or quiet stillness.
Across cultures, the act of writing home carries a deep emotional charge. Whether it’s through letters, phone calls or voice notes, we are always trying to bridge space through words.
Why These Projects Matter
These projection mapping experiments are about more than just visuals. They reflect how we navigate cultural dualities, how we make meaning of memory, and how we use technology to connect with emotion.
In a world that often feels fragmented, these projects offer small ways to piece things back together through shared symbols, stories and gestures. They remind me that design can be personal and political, poetic and practical, and always a reflection of who we are and where we come from.
