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 ︎︎︎
(un)heard voices opened on 11th April, 2023 in the Skylight Gallery at RISD Museum to the public. 




The stories that came up in the staff workshop were compiled into a zine
that would act as a partner for a museum visitor.





Moments from the Visitor Workshop

exhibition design - participatory design 

(un)heard voices, RISD Museum

Winner, Dorner Prize 2023


Our experience of the RISD Museum remains largely didactic. The way exhibits are understood and interpreted is prescriptive, creating a singular way of looking. This passive dialogue limits the museum’s potential and contribution to its public. (un)heard voices unearths voices in and outside of the RISD Museum to shift the focus to experiences beyond the expected. It initiates dialogue with museum visitors, non-curatorial workers, and others, foregrounding their opinions and amusements to break through the singular narrative and inspire dialogue and change. This project, at its core, intends to make the human experience of the Museum visible.
program exhibition design, installation, workshop
collaborators Priyata Bosamia
date April 11 - June 3, 2023
place RISD Museum, Providence, RI
commissioning + photography RISD Museum, as part of the
Dorner Prize 2023
contributors Francesca Liuni, Deborah Clemons, Laura Ostrander, Marny Kindness, Alexandra Poterack, Amy Pickworth, Christina Alderman, Thomas Morin, Tammie Worthington-Witczak, AnnMarie S, Anna Rose, Ann Murray Walsh, Brady Douglas

published in RISD Newsletter ︎︎︎, RISD Museum Website ︎︎︎


︎︎︎ BACK
Running on Cargo