Record of Practice

artistic practice → professional practice →

artistic practice

Girigari

art practice

1987 —
present

Artist — Mixed Media

Glass, fabric, paper, wood, stone, digital

A practice rooted in dots, lines, and the materials of the mountain — shaped by a life spent inside art from the beginning, sharing space with glass artist Vijay Kowshik and textile designer Maneesha Kowshik. Works across sculpture, drawing, textile, and digital mediums.

collections

2024

Work acquired — Private Collection

India

2021

Work acquired — Private Collection

India

2016

Work acquired — Private Collection

Vienna, Austria

curatorial & research

2024 —
present

Lead Researcher & Curator — Echoes in Glass

Kangra Valley, Himachal Pradesh

Research-based art project mapping Western Himalayan oral traditions (Kurla-Kurli) and glass waste.

2017 —
2018

Fellow — India Foundation for the Arts (IFA)

Delhi Visual Archive, New Delhi

Archival and Museum Fellowship. Conducted research on "Nature in Delhi" archives; produced three 360° video works for virtual exhibition and public walks and discussion programmes.

awards & recognition

2015

Best Stage Design — Mahindra Excellence in Theatre Awards

For Still & Still Moving, The Tadpole Repertory

selected performances & events

2019

Director & Co-Producer — First Indian 360° Music Video

Mat Ro Bacche · Arts collective production

Directed and co-produced the first Indian 360° music video. Performed live at Serendipity Arts Festival 2019, Goa — live drawings for a live audience.

selected curatorial work

2009 —
present

Perceiving Pneuma Energy · Syntactics in Glass · Parsing — The Mind's Eye — Vijay Kowshik

Curation, Archiving, Documentation & Exhibition Design

2014

Jazz in India

India International Centre, New Delhi

2017

Exhibition — Raj Dassani

Graphic & Exhibition Design, ARTS-GLACERHI

2017

Exhibition — K.G. Subramanyan

Graphic & Exhibition Design, ARTS-GLACERHI

2018

Evolving Identities — The Bengal Masters

Graphic & Exhibition Design, ARTS-GLACERHI

social work: community & leadership

2016 —
present

Kabaad se Jugaad — Community Workshops

Himachal Pradesh, India

Wealth-from-waste workshops in mountain villages, schools, and orphanages.

present

Programmes Director — ARTS-GLACERHI

Himachal Pradesh

Arts for Social Change — workshops on waste, nature, and creativity; co-developing a residency space.

present

Assistant Secretary — Woodland Society

Andretta, Himachal Pradesh

professional practice

Vaibhavi Kowshik

proprietorship

2025 —
present

Founder — Girigari

Proprietorship, Himachal Pradesh

Independent artistic practice — making, exhibiting, and selling works across glass, fabric, paper, wood, stone, and digital mediums.

2009 —
2021

Founder — Vaispace

Proprietorship, Delhi

Independent Exhibition and Visual Communication Design practice.

teaching & education

2020 —
2022

Assistant Professor — Design Programs

JK Lakshmipat University, Jaipur

Interdisciplinary Design and Integrated Communication Design. Courses: Publication & Exhibition Design, IoT products, 360° visualisation, entrepreneurship, social design.

2018 —
2020

Assistant Professor — Space & Communication Design

Indian Institute of Art & Design (IIAD), Delhi

Exhibition & Space Design, 360° video, "Design for a Better Future" with entrepreneurial start-ups. Collaborated with NGO Katha on digital literacy and narrative design.

2018

Visiting Faculty

National Institute of Design, Haryana · Pearl Academy, Noida

stage & performance design

2021

Costume & Production Design — Ravi uljhan mein

Director: Tarun Sharma · Himachal Pradesh

15-day film schedule in Himachal Pradesh.

2009 —
2017

Stage Designer — The Tadpole Repertory

New Delhi

Principal stage designer from Taramandal (2009) through Quicksand (2017).

early career

2014 —
2015

Communications & Programmes Manager

The Rasaja Foundation, New Delhi

2011 —
2013

Installation Artist, Spatial Designer & Curator

Bacardi NH7 Weekender Music Festival

2011 —
2013

Communication Designer & Outreach Coordinator

ZED (Eco BCIL), Bangalore

2012

India Pavilion Pitch — World Expo 2012

Meroform Pvt. Ltd. & ABDesignHabit

2008 —
2009

Production Designer — Ad Campaigns

T.P. Abid · 6 campaigns in 4 months

2008

Chief Indian Designer — Fiat & Tata Auto Show

Co-designed with Italian team · Production team of 100

2008

Eastwind Music Festival

Spatial Design & Installation

fellowships

2025

School of Climate Change

Oxford Climate Society

2024

EmpowerHer Journey Fellow

UNDP – Villgro

2024

Climatebase Fellow, Cohort 5

Climate-focused entrepreneurship

2020 —
2021

BE:Fantastic Together Fellow

Climate Tech + Art

2016 —
2017

The DO School Fellow

Connection Challenge, Berlin

Fully funded fellowship. Worked with Messe Berlin on fluid information architecture systems for international trade fairs.

education

expected
2027

Master's in Sustainability Science

IGNOU, India

Field research: glass waste recycling in Kangra Valley, Himachal Pradesh.

2009

Graduate Diploma in Design — Exhibition Design

National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad

2004

CBSE

Mother's International School, New Delhi

1990 —
2000

Free Progress Open Learning

Mirambika School, New Delhi

certifications

2025

Environment Data & GIS for Communication

CSE Certification

2024

UNITAR Certifications

Sustainable Development & Inclusive Green Economy

2022

Living Lab Research Fellow (HCI + HCD)

IIIT-Delhi

2021 —
2022

Communication Studies Certificate

Prof. M. Mukherjee

recent roles & speaking

2025

Jury Member

Chitkara University, Chandigarh

2024

Chief Guest & Lecturer — Waste to Wealth

Central University of Himachal Pradesh, Dharamshala

2024

Jury Member

National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kangra

skills & methods

making Sculpture Mural Photography Embroidery Baatik Printmaking Upcycling Recycling
Research & Field Traditional Ecological Knowledge Human-Nature-Technology Relationship Participatory Methodologies Design For A Better Future Waste Management Archival Research
design & tech Exhibition Design Spatial Design Graphic Design Illustration Speculative Design 360° Video AR/VR p5.js Blender Adobe Suite Affinity Suite Spark AR Unreal Engine
languages English — fluent Hindi — fluent Spanish — beginner community Workshop Facilitation Circular Economy Climate Pedagogy Change in Behaviour Strategies