Past Program

INDIA_SENSED | Craft and Collaboration in the Digital Age

This global travel course offer a unique opportunity to experience craft as practiced at the highest level on location in Jaipur, India, with its long tradition and rich diversity of artisan culture, and to explore how digital technologies which pervade contemporary art and design education can act in collaboration.

At-A-Glance

What
Wintersession Travel Course
Where
  • Jaipur, India
  • New Delhi, India
  • Agra, India
When
Winter 2024

Estimated dates—final dates to be announced.

Course Dates: Jan 3, 2024 — Jan 31, 2024

Who
Open to RISD students, Brown University students

Minimum 2.5 GPA required. First year students are not eligible for this course.

Topics
  • Art
  • Design
  • Craft
  • Sustainability
  • Conservation
Program Partners

DirectCreate

Faculty
Academic Credits
6
Department
  • Apparel Design
  • Textiles
Cost
$5961

Includes accommodation, all meals, field trips, local transportation, museum entrances, health and travel insurance. Airfare is not included.

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INDIA_SENSED Craft and Collaboration in the Digital Age
2023
INDIA_SENSED Craft and Collaboration in the Digital Age
2023
INDIA_SENSED Craft and Collaboration in the Digital Age
New Delhi, India 2023

About this course

Course Description

This global travel course offers a unique opportunity to experience craft as practiced at the highest level on location in Jaipur, India, with its long tradition and rich diversity of artisan culture, and to explore how digital technologies which pervade contemporary art and design education can act in collaboration. Hosted by DirectCreate, a network of and digital marketplace for Indian artisans, students will have first-hand exposure to the artisan’s environment and to observe the production of work hewn by place-based considerations such as regional climate, culture and infrastructure. Guided by project-based prompts and engaging in making activities together, this course invites a conversation about the nature of collaborative practices integrating craft while exploring new potential approaches to advanced technology.

There has been an emergence of global interest in craft (DIY practices, revival of sewing and knitting clubs) catalyzed by pandemic-era isolation and disseminated through mediated technologies. This boom in amateur craft stands in stark contrast to the devastation of many professional hand-based craft industries which saw their markets all but disappear and little know-how or access to digital markets. Such paradoxes and the pandemic-era decline of travel and devaluation of live settings in education, act as fitting backdrops for students in this course to become fully immersed within the shifting boundaries between art, design and craft and to foreground questions like "How can traditional craft meaningfully engage tools like 3D modeling or 3D printing" or “What is the role of the hand in the metaverse?”

New Global Studies Course Connects RISD Students with Traditional Artisans in India

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The application for Wintersession Travel Courses 2025 will is now closed.

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About DirectCreate

DirectCreate (DC) is India’s first digital creative platform connecting local makers to a global network of designers and buyers to collaborate and co-create handcrafted products. Fostering a community of over 15,000 handpicked makers and designers, we create an organic connection between makers and buyers.

India is renowned for its tradition of fine handcrafted goods. DirectCreate allows buyers to customize products, shop a curated selection of premium maker goods and experience the timeless beauty of Indian craftsmanship.

Apply to a Wintersession Travel Course

The application for Wintersession Travel Courses 2025 will is now closed.

View details

More Info

Application + Registration

The entire application process will be completed using an online application portal. You will be able to upload, request and submit all required documents there. Apply to a Wintersession Travel Course

RISD Students

Unless otherwise noted on the course page, all Wintersession Travel Courses are open to students in any year of study. Please check the course pages on this website carefully to learn about any restrictions specific to your chosen travel course.

GPA Requirement: Exception to Academic Policy

If your current cumulative GPA is 2.5 or above, you are eligible for registration. RISD students seeking an exception to the GPA requirement academic policy should follow the instructions set by the Registrars’ Office.

Brown University Students

If you are a Brown University student with a GPA of 2.5 and up, you are eligible to apply. Admission for Wintersession Travel Courses is highly selective and preference will be given to RISD students. Please read carefully through the application materials and steps above to make sure you are preparing your application to the best of your ability.

As such, all students are advised not to purchase flights for participation in Wintersession Travel Courses until the travel is confirmed, which happens no later than one week after the final Wintersession Travel Course payment period.

In cases where Wintersession Travel Courses do not reach minimum capacity, the course may be cancelled after the last day of Wintersession Travel Course registration period. In case of cancellation, all payments will be refunded in full. Any cost incurred for travel reservations in such situations is the participant’s sole responsibility.

It is not possible for a student to drop a Wintersession Travel Course via the standard Add/Drop process after it has commenced. In the case of unforeseen and extenuating circumstances (and only after students have spoken with the faculty lead and RISD Global for approval to withdraw from the program), students should be aware that no refund will be issued.

RISD Wintersession Travel Courses follow the RISD withdrawal policy for off-campus global learning programs

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1:1 Advising Session

Have questions? The RISD Global team is available to meet for a 1:1 advising session. We can give you more information about your study options, help you figure out which program makes sense for you, and assist you with the application process.

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