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Prof. Nina Sabnani


Related Images

Source: India,  

Tenure: 2007 to 2021

Date: 2007

Medium: Photograph

Credits: IDC


Detailed Description

Prof. Nina Sabnani is a prominent faculty member at the Industrial Design Centre (IDC) at IIT Bombay. She is known for her work as an artist and storyteller, utilising film, illustration, and writing to convey her narratives. Her research interests lie in animation films, visual communication, visual culture, folklore, storytelling, installation art, visual ethnography, word-image relationships, participatory filmmaking, animation as ethnography, and material culture. She holds a PhD from IDC, IIT Bombay, and has an extensive academic background that includes an MA in Television, Film, and Multimedia from Syracuse University as a Fulbright Fellow, a Certificate in Animation Filmmaking from the National Institute of Design (NID), Ahmedabad, and a BFA in Painting from the Faculty of Fine Arts, M.S. University, Baroda. Prof. Sabnani has also had significant teaching and administrative roles, having been a faculty member at NID for over two decades before joining IIT Bombay. At IDC, she has taught courses such as "World of Images and Objects," "Animation Theory-1," "Design and Human Evolution," and "Design Studio III: Creative Explorations."



Projects

Hum Chitra Banate Hai - Animation Film

Hum Chitra Banate Hai is an acclaimed animation film directed by Prof. Nina Sabnani, a renowned animator, filmmaker, and academic. The film is a beautiful fusion of animation and traditional Indian storytelling, highlighting Prof. Sabnani's interest in indigenous art forms and their integration with modern animation techniques. The title Hum Chitra Banate Hai, which translates to "We Make Images," reflects the central theme of the film: the process and significance of storytelling through images. The film is set in the Kutch region of Gujarat and revolves around the traditional craft of kaavad storytelling, a form of visual storytelling that uses painted wooden panels to narrate mythological and folk tales. The film combines hand-drawn animation with live-action sequences, blending traditional art forms with modern animation techniques. The film has been praised for its sensitive portrayal of the lives and work of traditional artisans and for raising awareness about the importance of preserving indigenous art forms.