In Cheent Devanagari, Kanaka Raghavan approaches Devanagari through its own structure, rhythm and material histories rather than through Latin conventions. Drawing on block printing and ornament, translucent textile layers separate and recompose as visitors move, making the construction of language spatially visible.

Typography carries histories about who designs, teaches and defines legibility. Developed through Kanaka Raghavan's practice-based doctoral research into decolonising design, Cheent Devanagari challenges the dominance of Eurocentric frameworks in typography, which have historically positioned Latin letterforms as a universal standard against which other writing systems are measured.

Focusing on Devanagari, a script used to write numerous languages, the work approaches typography through the script's own structural and cultural logic, rather than adapting it to established Western conventions. Drawing inspiration from traditional Indian block printing, Kanaka investigates the relationship between letterform construction, ornamentation and the material processes of making. The textures, ink traps, patterns and layered application of colour associated with block printing become integral to the development of the typeface itself.

Presented as an immersive spatial installation, Cheent Devanagari transforms the process of designing a typeface into an experience that visitors can physically navigate. The letterforms are separated into individual layers printed onto translucent textiles, echoing the sequential processes of traditional block printing. Each layer contributes to the gradual construction of the letter, from its underlying structure and colour to its ornamental details.

As visitors move between and around the suspended textile surfaces, the forms overlap, separate and recompose according to their position. Legibility becomes dependent on movement and perspective, challenging the idea of a single, fixed or universally understood reading. The transparency of the material reveals the stages of construction that would ordinarily remain concealed within a finished typeface, making visible the decisions, processes and cultural knowledge involved in its creation.

Presented as part of In Other Words, the installation invites audiences to reconsider whose visual languages are recognised, how legibility is defined, and how design can challenge inherited conventions.

About Kanaka Raghavan
Kanaka Raghavan is a designer, educator and researcher exploring graphic design, typography, cultural identity and design education. She is a Senior Lecturer and Campus Programme Coordinator for the undergraduate Graphic Design programme at Middlesex University Dubai, with professional experience in architecture and graphic design across India, Barcelona and Dubai.

Her research examines Eurocentric frameworks in design practice and education, focusing on non-Western visual languages, cultural traditions and material knowledge. She is pursuing a PhD at the University of the Arts London, titled Decolonising Design Through Practice and Education in the UAE: Using Graphic Design and Typography as a Voice, exploring how typography and traditional making can challenge dominant design narratives.