Math Meets Art at Kochi Biennale [Feb 3,4]

Have you ever noticed the spirals in a nautilus shell or the precise geometry in the glass windows of old mosques? Two artist-educators from the Himalayas are coming to Fort Kochi to help you see the mathematics that quietly shapes our visual world—and make art from it.

The Workshop

Math Meets Art is a two-day workshop at ABC Art Room, Bastion Bungalow, on February 3rd and 4th, 2026. Ardra Bindu and Varshaa Ramesh from Aavishkaar, a learning center in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh, will guide participants through hands-on explorations of shape, pattern, and structure.

Day one digs into tradition. You'll explore the geometry behind Islamic tessellations, investigate shapes through tactile work with sutli (jute rope), and examine the mathematical logic embedded in construction and structural design. Think of it as learning to see the hidden frameworks beneath the beauty.

Day two takes a contemporary turn. The facilitators will lead discussions on asking the right questions in an AI-driven world, run activities centered on estimation in art-making, and create space for playful collaboration through games and interactive exercises.

Meet the Facilitators

Ardra and Varshaa's journeys began through the Teach For India Fellowship. They are artists and educators who believe math and science should be experienced through everyday life, art, movement, and curiosity—not feared as abstract subjects.

Aavishkaar, established in 2014 by Sandhya Gupta and Sarit Sharma (both PhDs who returned from the US), has trained over 8,000 government school teachers in Himachal Pradesh. The center works with Teach For India across the country, helping educators transform how children see mathematics.

The organization's philosophy is simple: learning should be joyful. They've found that when you visualize, contextualize, and make content relevant through constant engagement, even the most math-anxious students can discover a genuine curiosity.

What to Expect

This isn't a lecture. Expect to work with your hands, ask questions, make mistakes, and discover connections you hadn't seen before. The workshop emphasizes observation, experimentation, and tactile learning—the kind of making that activates both creative and critical thinking.

The central question running through both days: What role does mathematics play in creating art, and how often do we use it without even realizing?

Details

Dates: February 3rd & 4th, 2026
Time: 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Venue: ABC Art Room, Bastion Bungalow, Fort Kochi
Fee: Free entry — no registration fee required
Who can apply: Anyone interested in exploring Math in Art
How to apply: Via link in ABC Art Room's Instagram bio

The workshop is part of the ongoing Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2025-26 programming at ABC Art Room, which has been hosting a rich series of creative workshops throughout the season.