About Residency

Helena Bajaj Larsen joined JResidency as a part of collaboration with Shakti Design Residency, As an interdisciplinary textile designer known for hand-printed silk, she explored the possibilities in this craft and residency became a way to shift mediums and methods. Her time was structured around learning by doing: spending time with the teams and artisans to understand rug construction, material behavior at scale, and the production logic of hand-knotting. The residency became a practical studio, where she tested decisions through sampling, developed yarn directions with the dyeing unit, and worked closely with artisans to translate a drawing-based language into textile structure. A key part of her experience was moving between three processes: dyeing, metal casting, and weaving and learning how each one changes the next. She explored how colour behaves when dyed into yarn (not printed on surface), how metallic elements sit within a soft textile field, and how embroidery and pile can hold line, shadow, and rhythm. This cross-process movement shaped both her working method and the final forms.

Works

Meet The Artisans

Artisan Name - Shushila Ji

For Shushila Ji, working on Helena’s carpets felt new and interesting. They worked with different materials, colours, and textures, mixing wool, silk, embroidery, and metallic details in ways they may not have done before. As the carpets slowly came together, the artisans were not just weaving patterns, but also learning and experimenting through the process. Every line, texture, and detail was carefully made by hand with patience and skill. For them, the process became more than just making a carpet. It became a shared experience of trying new ideas and creating something beautiful together.

Artisan Name - Wahid Ji

For Mamta Devi, working on Helena’s carpets felt new and interesting. They worked with different materials, colours, and textures, mixing wool, silk, embroidery, and metallic details in ways they may not have done before. As the carpets slowly came together, the artisans were not just weaving patterns, but also learning and experimenting through the process. Every line, texture, and detail was carefully made by hand with patience and skill. For them, the process became more than just making a carpet. It became a shared experience of trying new ideas and creating something beautiful together.

Biography

Helena Bajaj Larsen is a Paris-born, Indian-Norwegian textile artist and designer whose practice bridges art, fashion, and interiors. Working through an interdisciplinary lens, she creates layered abstract pieces using hand-painting, embroidery, metalwork, and diverse material techniques, offering a distinct and contemporary language of surface and form. A Parsons School of Design graduate, she founded her studio at 22, focusing on surface design and culturally rooted collaborations with artisans across the Global South. Recognized by the CFDA Future Fashion Showcase and Vogue Talents. With experience at Iris van Herpen and participation in international residencies, Helena continues to expand the boundaries of contemporary textile practice.