Roshni Kumaravel
(she/her)Graphic designer and illustrator from India, currently based in New York.
Roshni Kumaravel
(she/her)Graphic designer and illustrator from India, currently based in New York.
01.
Is a Swedish Fish a Real Fish?
99 x 152 mm, 112 pages
Inkjet print on Strathmore 300 Series Sketch
In his 1981 essay Simulacra and Simulation, French theorist Jean Baudrillard suggested that reality had been replaced entirely by signs and symbols, and that the idea of ‘real life’ was a simulated construct. He described contemporary society as ‘hyperreal,’ and that hyperreality was more real than the idea of reality. He described a process through which reality slowly distances itself from its original meaning, eventually to be replaced by a simulacrum. Simulacra means ‘likeness’ or ‘semblance’ in Latin. In replacing reality with a simulated version of reality, what do we lose and what do we gain?
Is a Swedish Fish a Real Fish? is a thesis submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts (Communications Design) at Pratt Institute. Read the full thesis here.
02.
A Non-Comprehensive Guide to Growing Your Own Food
4-page zine
11.25ʺ x 16.5ʺ, folded down to 5.625ʺ x 8.25ʺ
Offset lithographic print on 30lb newsprint, edition of 100
Printed at Linco Printing
Tending to a kitchen garden is an act of care towards the self, towards the community, and towards the spaces we occupy. It’s a labour of quiet resistance against food that is packaged, purchased and reduced to a commodity. This zine is an introduction to growing your own fruits, vegetables and herbs anywhere you can find space.
03.
‘Bates Roman’ is a display font inspired by the numbers stamped by an old Bates Machine (No. 49). The scotch roman numbers on the machine had a softness when printed out, owing to the filled-in inktraps. These filled-in inktraps had a gentle, splotchy rhythm.
Using these numbers as a starting point I drew the rest of the characters, referencing the filled inktraps and splotchy rhythm to create this display font.
05.
OIA Flyers
Select flyers, posters and social media posts designed as part of the Office of International Affairs at Pratt Institute.
06.
The Sustainability Network
Goli Soda is a store in Chennai that focuses on sustainable living, and frequently hosts events and workshops to encourage more people to adopt simple but effective lifestyle changes that have a meaningful, positive impact on the environment. The Sustainability Network is a podcast hosted by the founder of the store, in which she meets other small businesses from India that share the same goal.
I developed the visual identity for the podcast keeping the colour palette consistent with the store’s branding. The logo is a very literal interpretation of the podcast, where the words are linked by vines growing into each other. The vines creeping along the edges of the posters are meant to serve as a literal ‘network’ linking different compositions placed next to each other.
07.
In this park we are Free.
Laser print on 30lb newsprint
Digital spaces are saturated with people expressing their thoughts and opinions, and still we struggle to form authentic relationships over the internet through self-expression alone. Filmmaker Adam Curtis suggests that we are yearning for ‘enchanting’ mythologies that make us feel included in something larger than ourselves, while still honouring our individuality.
This zine explores the relationship between the individual and the community, observed through interactions with a shared physical space. The images used in this project were shot in Prospect Park, Brooklyn over the summer of 2024.
This zine explores the relationship between the individual and the community, observed through interactions with a shared physical space. The images used in this project were shot in Prospect Park, Brooklyn over the summer of 2024.
08.
TEDxNapierBridge
Various event posters created for programs organised by the team at TEDxNapierBridge.
The visual language for the events are largely guided by the brand guidelines provided by TED. The challenge with these layouts was in making the events feel uniquely TEDxNapierBridge, and differentiating the event from other local TEDx event organisers.
The visual language for the events are largely guided by the brand guidelines provided by TED. The challenge with these layouts was in making the events feel uniquely TEDxNapierBridge, and differentiating the event from other local TEDx event organisers.
9.
British Council: Festival Connections
Festival Connections was an initiative by the British Council (supported by the Arts and Culture Resources India) with an aim to fill a gap in the space of knowledge-sharing and learning about the management and administration of cultural festivals in India. Over the pandemic, these events were held as a series of webinars. For their social media marketing efforts, I created illustrations and infographics summarising key takeaways from their workshops.
(Work commissioned by the Art X Company.)
(Work commissioned by the Art X Company.)