Shivani Pinapotu is a spatial thinker and designer interested in how space intersects with story, society and our sense of self.


My earliest memory of a space was a pillowfort that my aunt had built when I was young. The experience of having a space that fit me and a place to call my own fascinated me beyond measure. I have since then been driven by the impact of empathy, wonder and a story well-told, and always find myself reaching for these virtues to position myself within a project. My practice is, therefore, an attempt to humanise the built environment.

I hold an MDes. in Interior Studies from the Rhode Island School of Design, where I concentrated in Exhibition and Narrative Environments, and have extensive experience in architecture, interiors, exhibitions and theatre design across India and the States.

I am presently working at Home Studios, Brooklyn.

Reach out to spinapot@gmail.com or find me on Linkedin, if you have anything in mind!

WORK ︎︎︎


Image Credits: Trinity Repertory


Process Images

scenography

Soul Tapes, JaMario Stills

Adapted from “The Soul Tapes of Black Folk” by Will Johnson


In 2105, soul musician Taji and filmmaker Siya bond over their shared love of vintage media: cassette tapes, film reels, and the public access television show “Beautiful Black Brilliance,” featuring a record store owner named Genesis Jones. But when Taji and Siya’s relationship is challenged by a tempting celestial force, Genesis, a sage and ancestor, guides them through a series of surprising revelations that help illuminate their path. Soul Tapes explores the challenges of when shared visions are tested by individual pursuits.

The play is written by directing student JaMario Stills, adapted from Will Johnson’s lecture “The Soul Tapes of Black Folks” and presented by The Brown University/Trinity Repertory Company MFA Programs in Acting and Directing.

program scenography - live production

collaborators Sara Ossana, Lead Scenographer and Creative Producer

date November 11 - October 20, 2022

place Trinity Repertory Company, Providence, RI

commissioning, directing, photography Brown University / Trinity Repertory Company MFA Programs in Acting and Directing

published in Trinity Repertory Company ︎︎︎

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