For many years Bangalore-born Spandana Gopal successfully bridged the gap between India and the West through her art. Today it is through her design studio Tiipoi, where she embraces local materials and ethically resourced craftsmanship to co-create objects and accessories for the discerning homemaker.
With a brand-new addition the family, Harry chats to Spandana about recipes for domestic bliss and her homeware range
Harry: Your hands are full right now, so many thanks for making time to tell us more about Tiipoi. How did the world of design lure you away from art?
Spandana: After working for some years in the arts sector, it was actually the sense of nostalgia that I was feeling after leaving home in India that spurred me on. I considered what that meant to me and others who’d had similar experiences and began to focus less on the sense of loss and more on the potential of what could be and what I could make to bridge the gap. It was then that I began to explore the idea of creating functional and timeless designs for the home informed by life and local craftsmanship that would offer a tangible link.
Harry: Where does the name Tiipoi come from?
Spandana: Our homeware range encompasses objects of real artisanal ingenuity and timelessness that we have interpreted through a modern lens. The company name actually comes from the word ‘teapoy’ – a three-legged stool that was appropriated across the western world during the era of the British Raj. It is emblematic of our whole ethos as a three-legged stool is also a hugely functional object needing no redesign and often hiding in plain sight.
Harry: What will Tiipoi be selling at Harry CJ Wix?
Spandana: Across the Indian subcontinent we have been inspired by well-designed items for cooking and storage amongst other homeware areas. We collaborate with craftspeople and makers across India with many different areas of manufacturing expertise including black pottery, metal spinning, wood turning, glass blowing and textile weaving.
At Harry CJ Wix, a range of items will be on sale including storage containers, textiles and a wonderful range of salt and pepper grinders. All of them have a distinct handmade feel and are created to be long-lasting and, if possible, passed on through generations – just as they would be in the Indian Subcontinent where nothing is wasted.
Harry: Many of your designs speak straight to the essence of good design. Something we believe in strongly at Harry CJ Wix. What is most important when thinking about a new object or accessory?
Spandana: To me, good design is invisible to the eye – it’s taken for granted exactly because it’s so effective. This is the type of design I’m interested in sharing with new audiences in Suffolk. I think it will have a great deal of synergy with homemakers there.