Radhika Sanghvi
Sculptural designer Radhika Sanghvi creates light-driven installations that transform static spaces into sensory experiences. Working with materials like wood, reed, and paper, she captures movement within stillness, revealing grace in the familiar.
Sculptural designer Radhika Sanghvi creates light-driven installations that turn static spaces into sensory environments. Her work sits at the intersection of sculpture and illumination, where material, form, and light interact to shape how a space is perceived. What distinguishes her practice is the sense of movement she captures within static structures, where each piece seems to float, breathe, or subtly shift, even when entirely still. Growing up in a home with an artist for a father and a crafty mother, art came naturally to Radhika. Encounters with several other artists over the years who turned their love for creation into lifelong practice further compelled her to pursue sculptural design. Radhika works primarily with wood, reed, and paper — materials that might appear rigid or delicate — yet through elegant construction and careful balance, she coaxes them into rhythmic forms that evoke wings, branches, or suspended petals. Their finesse lies in transforming the familiar into the extraordinary: testing the limits of everyday materials and revealing the grace and delicacy embedded within each. Her desire to perceive empty spaces through a new lens is evident in how the viewers are compelled to witness the interplay between material and illumination. It’s evident that to Radhika, illumination is not simply functional but a narrative force. Resulting in an almost non-terrestrial world, the viewers are encouraged to see space as not empty but as alive, responsive, and shaped by light. The deeper one looks, the more textural nuance emerges with light filtering through paper, scattering across a room, expanding the work beyond its physical boundaries. Ranging from 2.5 to 40 feet, these installations have been placed in both private and commercial settings, each possessing a character of its own, quietly settled into the space and yet starkly unmissable. After briefly pausing her practice, Radhika launched RADicals, a jewellery venture that aptly translates her sculptural language into wearable pieces made from clay and wire. The same abstract sensibility that informs her installations appears here in dramatic neckpieces and forms that challenge traditional jewellery conventions. In the swell of India’s shifting art landscape, Radhika’s work reflects a growing wave of contemporary Indian creatives who are questioning the boundaries of material and function to form new visual vocabularies. Her practice suggests that the future of Indian design may not rely on inventing new materials, but instead on re-seeing the familiar with sensitivity — transforming what already exists into something that feels transcendent.
Radhika speaks to Blur The Border :
Blur : Growing up with a father who was both an artist and an art collector, and a mother equally inclined toward craft, you were surrounded by inspiration from the beginning. How did you find your own voice in sculptural illumination?
Radhika : When you grow up in a home where art and design are part of everyday life, your way of seeing the world becomes quite different. Back then, art wasn’t as common as it is now — it was something few people truly valued. That environment shaped how I looked at things — aesthetics became second nature. I was always drawn to materials and loved exploring what I could create with them. I remember using whatever was around — old DVDs, empty boxes — and turning them into something new. That curiosity eventually led me to study sculpture in Fine Arts, where I could explore form, texture, and structure more deeply. Today, that same curiosity draws me to materials like wood, paper, and light — simple, familiar elements found all around us. For me, it’s about taking what’s ordinary and turning it into something poetic and luminous.
Blur : During the years you took a step back to spend time with your family, what inspired you to start RADIcals and focus specifically on jewellery?
Radhika: During that phase, I wanted to stay creatively connected while spending more time with my family. Jewellery felt like the right scale at that moment — something small and hands-on that I could explore at my own pace. I’ve always been drawn to materials and craft, so RADIcalS became a way to continue creating, just in a more intimate form. It wasn’t about building a brand then, but about keeping that creative rhythm alive.
Blur : You work with elemental materials like wood and paper for your sculptural lights, which can be challenging to shape into the fluid forms you create. Meanwhile, for your jewellery designs, you use clay and wire. What draws you towards these materials?
Radhika : I’ve always been drawn to materials that feel natural and real — ones with a bit of rawness and imperfection. Wood, paper, clay, and wire each behave differently, and I enjoy exploring how far they can go. Be it small-scale jewellery or larger-than-life installations, I like to manipulate these materials, pushing boundaries to create something that feels fragile yet strong — almost gravity-defying, something that captures attention at first glance.
Blur : Across both your practices, your designs lean toward ‘abstraction’. What draws you to this language, and how does your design process differ when creating one-of-a-kind installations for homes versus wearable pieces designed for a wider audience?
Radhika: Abstraction gives me freedom — it lets me express without being limited by a defined form. I like creating pieces that spark curiosity and allow the viewer to find their own meaning. Whether it’s jewellery or a large installation, I start with a sense of rhythm and let the form evolve naturally. The idea behind both is the same — one-of-a-kind works with a sculptural essence. The approach changes with scale and purpose, but the intent stays constant: to create something that leaves a lasting impression.
Blur : With designs that embrace sculptural forms, practicality remains at the core of your work. How do you approach this balance, and what does that process look like when you’re designing?
Radhika : For me, more than practicality, it’s about aesthetics, balance, and how different materials come together. Functionality usually comes later — whether it’s adding a bulb to a sculpture or cording a string to a necklace. I start by understanding the material and its limits, then work around it to find harmony between them. Functionality matters, but visual balance is non-negotiable for me.
Blur : Do you have a definitive process while creating? Are there any habits or rituals that help you get into a creative mindset?
Radhika : I don’t have a fixed process, but I do have a rhythm. I sketch loosely, but the real work begins once I start using my hands — the material always leads the way. I like working in silence; it helps me focus and let ideas flow naturally. I prefer being alone in the studio — whether it’s late at night or early in the morning — whenever an idea strikes. Trying to a create quiet dialogue between the forms I’m shaping and the empty space I leave behind.
Blur : In a world that often demands speed and scalability, your creative process is a deliberate act of slowness. How do you maintain the patience and time that your craft demands while building a brand that can grow?
Radhika : As an artist mass production is not something that has ever appealed to me. What appeals to me is - each design created is different and for the space I am commissioned for. There is a lot of back and forth with the client/interior regarding for understanding the space and their vision of the project. Each project is unique, and I thrive to create a design that resonates with the space. Every piece that steps out of my studio holds it unique individuality. That is what matters most to me!
Blur : What role does the environment play in your work or in fueling your creativity?
Radhika : As a creator, the frame of mind matters more than the physical space. When you’re in a creative flow, ideas come no matter where you are.
Blur : If you were to collaborate with another artist, within or outside of your discipline, what is one collaboration you would love to do?
Radhika : I'm drawn to collaborations that push boundaries and open up possibilities I wouldn’t explore on my own. I’m open to projects that let me experiment with different materials — weaving, looms, woodworking, stone carving, or any natural material that resonates with me. Recently, I collaborated with Ariane Ginwala, who was designing furniture inspired by Odisha crafts, mainly Dhokra casting and Sabai weaving. I was invited to create lamps for her collection, Niraba, which launched at the ID Show in Mumbai. It was an amazing experience and a wonderful way to bring different crafts come together.
Blur : In your experience, what support and guidance made a big difference, and what advice would you like to share with upcoming artists in a niche creative field?
Radhika : The Indian design industry is growing rapidly, and there’s room for everyone given the diversity of our country. My own ethos has always been to believe in yourself, stay focused, and work hard — the rest will follow. I’m still exploring, pushing the boundaries of materials, and letting my work evolve naturally, gradually moving toward creating bespoke functional art with mindfulness. Everything takes time and patience; nothing happens instantly, and nurturing your practice is the key.