Overview
The RISD x Hyundai partnership focuses on semester programs around nature-inspired design. Over the years it has helped fellows discover and develop new ideas based on biomimicry, and learning to make with nature's forms, processes and systems. 2022-23 culminated in the Sustainable Futures exhibition, partnering with 13 departments and the RISD Nature Lab. As a team of 5; we curated, designed, promoted, installed, and worked rapidly with researchers and vendors to bring the exhibit to life.
TEAM
Vrinda Mathur, Arvind Bhallamudi, Dani Epstein, Shravan Rao, Harshal Duddalwar, Farida Abousteit, Yuheng He, Helina, Leslie Ponce-Díaz
MY ROLE: Assistant Curator
Managed participant and team logistics, led copywriting and communications, and supported the team with spatial design, graphic design, production, marketing and launch.
KEY SKILLS
Sustainable Futures Exhibition
RISD x HYUNDAI MOTOR GROUP | 2022
PARTNERSHIP
Supporting Research Methods of Hyundai Fellows
The Sustainable Futures exhibition is an ongoing multi-year collaboration between Hyundai Motor Group and the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), facilitated through sponsored studios and fellowships across 13 departments: Architecture, Ceramics, Digital + Media, Film/Animation/Video, Global Arts and Culture, Glass, Graphic Design, Illustration, Industrial Design, Photography, Printmaking, Sculpture, and Nature–Culture –Sustainability Studies.
In my second semester at RISD, I worked as a Teaching Assistant for the Tech Landscapes Studio with taught by Shona Kitchen. In parallel I worked at the Nature Lab as a Biomaterials Assistant and conducted workshops for students from across RISD and Brown University, including for the Hyundai Digital Ceramics studio. These adjacent experiences gave insight on framing the experiential flows in the exhibition.
CURATION
Organizing Exhibits of Cross-Departmental Participants
My role involved actively supporting the curatorial and graphic design teams to ensure the exhibition reflected the richness and diversity of the student work. With projects ranging from biomaterial experiments in Ceramics to speculative robotic concepts from Industrial Design, curating the show required careful storytelling and sequencing. In this, I facilitated communication between departments and helped map out and execute an exhibition that communicated individual projects, as well as a broader narrative about the role of biodesign in reshaping our ecological and social futures and world-views.
DESIGNS
Wayfinding, Signage and Spatial Design
The spatial layout of the show was designed to evoke an ecosystem of ideas, with an open and adaptable format allowing each department’s work to breathe while also engaging in dialogue with adjacent themes. I assisted with the physical installation of structures, AV components, and lighting, contributing to a modular and accessible design. We designed zones around thematic clusters - materials, mobility, systems, and storytelling - and prioritized visibility across disciplines.
Layout Design
![Final Elevation Prov Wash [Converted] final 2-01.jpg](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/d5ed9e_bf1583c1c1c44064a3fe4e649f39ccc4~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_980,h_634,al_c,q_85,usm_0.66_1.00_0.01,enc_avif,quality_auto/Final%20Elevation%20Prov%20Wash%20%5BConverted%5D%20final%202-01.jpg)
Central Structure with Nature Lab Specimens
Introductory Plaque
EXECUTION
Building, Launching and Maintaining the Exhibition
A critical part of the exhibition’s success lay in its ability to communicate sustainable futures to a wider public. Working with the curatorial and graphic design teams, I led the writing and narrative design, and made sure that print assets were clear and cohesive. The graphics team developed minimal yet bold visual language to guide visitors through the space, with both an inquisitive and accessible verbiage. I also supported the integration of digital storytelling elements that enhanced context for the projects on display, using a mix of physical, digital and immersive installation experiences.
IMPACT
Bringing Together Diverse Ecological Thinkers
The initiative encouraged students and faculty to draw inspiration from nature and biology to design sustainable systems, materials, and futures - a multi-disciplinary testing ground for exploring biofabrication, speculative mobility, and ecological aesthetics.
