HYDERABAD: Have you ever seen textile art that makes sounds? We recently came across such an art piece at Mysa Homes, Khajaguda, where touching a hand-crafted bird on the textile triggers a sound. Interesting, isn’t it? Chhail, the founder of Anuvad, is the artist behind this innovative piece, bringing it to life straight from her imagination. Elevating functional art to the next level with e-textiles — a combination of technology and textiles — Chhail has innovated a range of products from fabric globes to kinetic textile art.
Based out of Ahmedabad, Chhail is a textile designer by education. After her studies at NID, Chhail grew a deep appreciation for Indian textile crafts. In 2013, she had the opportunity to do her bachelor’s thesis in Switzerland, where she was introduced to design research and innovation in textiles. She said, “When I returned to India, I found that no one understood smart textiles or e-textiles. I worked with various home furnishing companies but eventually grew bored with the redundancy. In 2016, a friend who was an electronics engineer and new media designer joined me, and we used my savings to start experimenting with tech and weaving. That’s how Anuvad began.”
This journey started as a research project, not intended to go beyond creative experimentation. “I continued my day job while experimenting with e-textiles in the evenings, setting assignments and challenges for myself to learn. Initially, Anuvad was just a platform to let off some creative steam, but as it grew, I realised I wasn’t giving it enough credit. I took Anuvad back to Switzerland and made it the focus of my master’s thesis. I stayed there for a while, worked as a research assistant, and completed my master’s degree. I received significant support and encouragement for my work, including awards, grants, and various opportunities. I returned to India for more fieldwork, but then Covid struck, and I found myself stuck in India. After a year, I decided to formalise Anuvad as a company and see where it could go,” she told CE.
Anuvad gained momentum with support from various grants, helping transition it into a serious practice leading to the company’s official launch in 2021. “Since then, we’ve seen growing interest and inquiries, validating our efforts. We’re open to expanding beyond home décor products into installations, which is both fun and challenging for us,” she says.
Chhail refers to her creative innovations as ‘functional art’ that can make the inner child smile, “These pieces are undoubtedly strong aesthetically but also add an intangible layer of magic to the space. We like to create pieces that not only bring a smile to the customer’s face but also become a great talking point for guests. What I love about our pieces is that they make the child in you come alive, no matter what age you are.”
Creative innovations
Textile tropics
A fabric globe that makes birds sing as you touch them. These interactive globes are available as pendant lamps and come in different sizes. You can choose from nine local birds intrinsic to the urban Indian ecosystem, allowing for customisation of both bird sounds and fabric colours.
Crafting intangibles
A piece of textile art that plays music. This interactive textile art is woven directly on a loom with sensors embedded seamlessly within it, creating a woven circuit that functions as a music synthesizer. The frame connects to a custom application, which currently includes three musical instruments: a sitar, a guitar, and a piano, with plans to add two more in the next version. Each instrument is broken down into nine nodes, and the sounds will vary based on the selected instrument. You can toggle between the three instruments as many times as you like.
In transit
Motion-triggered kinetic textile art. This piece operates on a proximity sensor, detecting human presence and reacting to viewers. When someone approaches the frame, motors activate, moving in random directions and speeds, leaving a digital footprint whenever they leave the frame. The concept originated from the idea of creating interaction with art without physical contact.
