‘Math Meets Art’ at Kochi Biennale
Two artist-educators from the Himalayas lead a two-day workshop in Fort Kochi on Feb. 3 and 4, 2026. Explore geometry in Islamic tessellations, sutli (jute rope) shapes, and construction and structural design.
Published 1 February 2026
This has finished · 3 February 2026 – 4 February 2026
- Dates
- 3 February 2026 – 4 February 2026
- Times
- 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM
- Cost
- Free
- Part of
- Kochi-Muziris Biennale 2025–26
Where
Bastion Bungalow
Historic building · Napier Street, Fort Kochi
You’ve just missed it — take it home anyway
The 2025–26 Biennale ended on 31 March 2026. The next is expected around December 2027. We made a book of all 72 exhibits, venue by venue, with the photographs — 76 pages, 9 MB.
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. They will 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 Feb. 3 and 4, 2026. Ardra Bindu and Varshaa Ramesh from Aavishkaar will guide participants. Aavishkaar is a learning center in Palampur, Himachal Pradesh. The hands-on explorations cover shape, pattern, and structure.
Day one digs into tradition. You’ll explore the geometry behind Islamic tessellations. Tactile work with sutli (jute rope) reveals how shapes fit together. Construction and structural design contain mathematical logic. Learn 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. Activities focus on estimation in art-making. Games and interactive exercises create space for playful work with others.
Did you know? Cochin’s rulers gave Jews the same royal privileges as Hindu nobility. These included silk umbrellas, elephant rides, palanquins, gold-studded wooden slippers, and ceremonial lamps. People engraved these rights on copper plates around 1000 CE.
Meet the facilitators
Ardra and Varshaa’s journeys began through the Teach For India Fellowship. They are artists and educators who believe people should experience math and science through everyday life, art, movement, and curiosity. They should not fear these subjects as abstract ideas.
Aavishkaar began in 2014 when Sandhya Gupta and Sarit Sharma founded it. Both hold PhDs and returned from the US. The center has trained over 8,000 government school teachers in Himachal Pradesh. It works with Teach For India across the country, helping educators change how children see mathematics.
The organization’s philosophy is simple. Learning should be joyful. When you visualize, contextualize, and make content relevant through constant engagement, even the most math-anxious students can find real curiosity.
How the workshop works
This is not a lecture. Expect to work with your hands, ask questions, make mistakes, and discover connections you had not seen before. The workshop emphasizes observation, experimentation, and tactile learning. This kind of making activates both creative and critical thinking.
The central question runs through both days. What role does mathematics play in creating art? How often do we use it without even realizing?
