Reintroducing the Soul of Graphic Design: An Exhibition at Bangalore International Centre

Bangalore is widely celebrated as India’s technology capital — a city shaped by software, startups, and UI/UX-driven product thinking. Yet, beneath this digital-first identity lies a quieter hunger: a longing to reconnect with the tactile, the printed, and the deeply philosophical roots of design. This spirit came alive at a exhibition curated by Prof. Kirti Trivedi at the Bangalore International Centre (BIC).

Organised with the support of Tacit, along with a group of dedicated IDC, IIT alumni, the exhibition set out with a clear and meaningful purpose: to introduce Bangalore’s design community to the rich, often underrepresented world of graphic design and book design. In a city where screens dominate creative practice, the event opened up much-needed conversations around the relevance, beauty, and intellectual depth of graphic and print media.

Why This Exhibition Mattered

The idea to bring this exhibition to Bangalore was deeply personal for us as founders of Tacit. Our first encounter with Prof. Sugiura’s work was at the CDS Design Department in Indore, where the same exhibition was organized by Prof. Kirti Trivedi. Experiencing the originals in that academic setting was transformative. It reshaped our understanding of graphic and book design—not as supporting disciplines, but as profound intellectual and cultural practices. Walking through the exhibition in Indore, we felt an unmistakable responsibility to carry this experience forward and share it with a wider design community. That moment planted the seed for bringing the exhibition to Bangalore, where we hoped it could inspire designers navigating a landscape dominated by digital and UI/UX practices.

Tacit’s goal was not merely to host an exhibition, but to spark dialogue. As UI/UX design increasingly defines the professional landscape in Bangalore, the exhibition asked an important question: What happens to graphic design, print, and the book in a world driven by interfaces and experiences?

Rather than positioning print in opposition to digital, the exhibition highlighted how graphic and book design operate at a deeper level — shaping meaning, rhythm, structure, and spirit. It invited designers to slow down, observe, and engage with design beyond usability metrics and screen resolutions.

The Master at the Centre

At the heart of the exhibition was the extraordinary work of Prof. Kohei Sugiura of Japan, one of the greatest book designers in history. The highlight of the show was Prof. Kirti Trivedi’s personal collection of original works by his teacher — rare, powerful, and deeply moving artifacts that revealed the immense breadth of Sugiura’s philosophy and practice.

These originals were not just displays; they were lessons. They demonstrated how design can move from the eye to the mind, how it can map content intellectually while evoking emotion, spirituality, and essence. For many visitors, this was a first encounter with design that felt almost sacred in its intent and execution.

A Teacher’s Dedication, A Generation Inspired

One of the most inspiring aspects of the exhibition was Prof. Kirti Trivedi’s unwavering dedication. He single-handedly installed the exhibition, carefully crafting what many visitors described as a “graphic garden” — a space where works spoke to one another, and where viewers could wander, reflect, and absorb.

This act itself became a powerful message. Beyond curation, it was a gesture of gratitude from a student to his teacher, and a living example of how knowledge, when passed on with humility and care, can ignite future generations. Prof. Trivedi’s effort resonated deeply with young designers in Bangalore, many of whom left the exhibition rethinking not just design, but their relationship with their craft.

Opening New Conversations in Bangalore

By bringing together Tacit, alumni from IDC and IIT, and the wider design community, the exhibition succeeded in opening a much-needed conversation in Bangalore:Design is not only about speed, interfaces, and problem-solving — it is also about meaning, culture, and inner spirit.

The exhibition reminded us that graphic design and book design are not relics of the past, but essential disciplines that continue to shape how we think, read, and understand the world.

In a city dominated by technology, this exhibition offered something rare — a pause, a reflection, and a reconnection with the soul of design.