Acclaimed Indian artist and designer Vibhor Sogani exhibits at the London Design Biennale 2025, at the historic Somerset House in London. His participation takes shape through a compelling short film titled Silent Subtext – The Art of Vibhor Sogani, which offers a meditative window into the artist’s world, his evolving body of work, philosophy and the sensorial experience of art that goes beyond the visual.
Curated in response to the Biennale’s 2025 theme, “Surface Reflections,” the film invites audiences to explore the nuanced dialogue between material, perception and meaning that underpins Sogani’s design language. His work is defined by a minimal yet powerful language, where scale, symmetry, technique, and material depth come together to create forms that feel emotive. His language is intentional, distilled and profoundly poetic.
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At the heart of Sogani’s work is a deep fascination with materiality, particularly with surfaces that respond to their surroundings. Stainless steel, a recurring material in his work, plays a prominent role in the film as a conceptual anchor. With its mirror finish and mutable quality, stainless steel becomes an extension of the world it inhabits, reflecting light, landscape, and human presence. It is a surface that never rests, one that transforms throughout the day, offering a new artwork with each passing moment.
Stainless steel reflects the viewer, the sky and the surroundings. It brings the artwork to life in its way, constantly shifting. That’s what excites me—when art invites you in, not just to look at it, but to become a part of it,” says Sogani.
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But Silent Subtext goes beyond material exploration. It is a cinematic narrative that captures the essence of Sogani’s relationship with public space and viewer engagement. His installations are often site-responsive, placed in urban settings and meant to initiate a dialogue, not within gallery walls, but within the fabric of everyday life. The film echoes this spirit. It asks the viewer to pause, reflect and consider. It mirrors the same sensitivity that marks his physical works- an invitation to see not just what is there but what lies beneath.
In the context of Surface Reflections, Vibhor Sogani’s presence at the London Design Biennale feels both timely and necessary. His work exemplifies how surfaces - literal, emotional, and conceptual - carry stories, memories, and questions. His practice, rooted in Indian sensibilities yet globally resonant, offers a powerful voice in the evolving discourse of design.
