Take a nice look at this picture.
While I was sitting in the heart of Delhi (or Dilli, as I prefer to call it), under the roof of a British-era building in a homegrown coffee chain outlet, I couldn’t help but notice this picture while sipping my freshly brewed Americano. Three-quarters of a century have passed since India gained independence, yet here it was—an image which clearly is an unfortunate ode to the colonial memory of India. And it hangs freely without nagging anyone. It was indeed a surprise for me.
The debate between Orientalist forces and Indigenous thought processes may be well-suited for academic discourse. Yet here I was, in a coffee shop, grappling with the extent to which the colonial mindset still shapes our sensibilities and choices. No doubt, colonial powers have receded, and people have largely moved on. However, as a graphic designer, I couldn’t help but reflect on the need to recognize and embrace diverse design traditions that exist across cultures.
This shift in perspective is crucial, especially in design, which is often shaped by personal tastes rooted in the experiences and environments of one’s upbringing. Yet, the way we are taught to evaluate design—what’s deemed “good” or “bad”—is largely influenced by a lens. This lens, dominated by the works of Western designers, establishes a limited standard that overlooks diverse sensibilities and perspectives.
We are witnessing an increasing tendency to compensate for decolonization with diversity. However, these two words should not be used interchangeably.
Diversity is bringing different people to the table, but decolonization is acknowledging that there can be many different tables, each with its own valid way of thinking and creating.
The Richness of Global Design Traditions
The colonial experience has often led to a uniformity in design sensibilities, imageries, and motifs. Yet across the world, we find rich and varied design traditions that speak to different ways of seeing and understanding. Take symbolism, for instance. Take the word “rat”. For many, it conjures the imagery of disgust in an untidy environment. Yet, in Indian culture, rats are revered as sacred, serving as the vehicle of Lord Ganesha. Rajasthan even has a temple dedicated to rats. Similarly, in Chinese design, dragons symbolize power and good fortune, contrasting sharply with their often-menacing portrayal in Western imagery.
In West African design traditions, particularly among the Adinkra symbols of Ghana, abstract geometric patterns carry deep philosophical meanings. Each symbol represents a proverb or concept, creating a visual language that communicates complex ideas through seemingly simple designs.
Another important facet in decolonizing design is to realize that in many parts of the world, design practices don’t make the designer’s viewpoint paramount. However, design is considered a collective process shaped by community input and cultural narratives. This collective approach to design isn’t just about aesthetics—it becomes a tool for healing, social cohesion, and fostering a deeper respect for cultural heritage.
Perspectives and Space
The way we perceive and represent space itself varies across cultures. Western art traditionally emphasizes linear perspective with a fixed vanishing point, which became dominant during the Renaissance. Simba Ncube, a graphic design graduate at London’s Central Saint Martins, explores colonialism’s impact on design. He notes that while the West teaches linear perspective as the ideal for 3D space, other methods exist. “Japanese perspective uses a single plane instead of x, y, and z-axis, yet it’s equally valuable,” he explains, highlighting overlooked visual traditions. Understanding that the standards we have been taught are not universal is a crucial step toward decoloniality.
Color and Cultural Expression
Another aspect of decoloniality in design lies in the use of colour. In Western designs, muted pastels and minimalistic, mono- or bi-chromatic palettes are often celebrated as modern and sophisticated. In contrast, India, like many other global majority countries, is vibrant. Our food, homes, festivals, and everyday lives are full of colours. In Mexican design, bright colors are deeply rooted in pre-Hispanic traditions and continue influencing contemporary design. Similarly, the vibrant colors of Indian festivals and Arabian geometric patterns demonstrate how different cultures express complexity and beauty through color.
These works demonstrate that sophistication in design isn’t limited to minimalism or restraint.
Materials and Techniques
Another key dimension of decolonizing design is rethinking the very materials and techniques we use. Different cultures have developed unique approaches to materials and techniques based on their environmental and social contexts. Western design often elevates sleek finishes and standardized processes, which are presented as the height of innovation. Yet, in many other cultures, artistry and hand-made techniques hold deep significance, reflecting a connection to history, community, and the environment. Morocco’s zellige tilework demonstrates how geometric patterns can create complex designs through simple, repeated elements. These practices are sustainable and carry cultural narratives that go beyond aesthetics. Embracing these traditional methods challenges the idea that modern design must always align with Western technological progress and materialism.
AI Art and Cultural Representation
The emergence of AI-generated art adds another layer to this conversation about design sensibilities. Many of today’s AI art models have been primarily trained on Western art databases and internet-sourced images, inherently carrying forward certain cultural biases. When asked to generate art in “traditional” or “classical” styles, these models often default to European artistic traditions. Even when prompted to create art from other cultures, they frequently produce results that view these traditions through a Western lens.
This technological bias presents both a challenge and an opportunity. While it risks further homogenizing global design aesthetics, it also highlights the urgent need to diversify the data on which these models are trained. Some artists and designers are already working to create AI models trained specifically on indigenous art forms and non-Western design traditions.
Moving Forward
The goal of decolonizing design isn’t to reject any particular tradition but to recognize and celebrate the multiplicity of design approaches that exist worldwide. It’s about understanding that our design sensibilities need not be uniform or bound by colonial perspectives. Instead, they can be as diverse as the cultures that create them.
The path forward lies in creating spaces where different design traditions coexist and interact respectfully. By challenging inherited colonial frameworks, we open space for more inclusive, meaningful design practices that celebrate the complexity of human experience and creativity.
