The French phrase l'art pour l'art, that is, art for art’s sake, is widely heard. Gazal Bawa and Navya Aggarwal, founders of Oddity, echo that idea. Oddity is a contemporary design studio which celebrates experimentation and uselessness. Each collection is designed with the intention that the piece need not justify itself and is open to being a little strange. To experience art ‘for the love of the thing,’ Navya comments. Below, they talk about the studio's beginning, its purpose, and the materials they use.
Beginning
Conversations around curiosity and utility and common fascinations with materials, visual culture and the emotional power of objects led to Oddity. Gazal and Navya had clicked on the idea that everything need not be useful. Objects can just be present in their own form. Navya tells us, ‘We wanted to design something that you would pick up simply because your heart and mind feel like it.’ The idea being to be able to see the value of art in how it makes one feel, imagine or notice.
The name ‘Oddity’ was settled upon because it fitted with their ideology for the studio. Being non-functional is odd for an object and the word was just right. Drawing on the fascination with the unexpected, the pieces created at Oddity resist utilitarian justification and singular meaning. Each work is open to interpretation. The studio is a representation of a new generation of Indian collectable design which is comfortable being a little strange.
Non-utilitarian
Gazal mentions, ‘There is a conscious effort in the designing process to not turn it (the piece) functional.’ In present times, when decisions are based on need and want, the usefulness and efficiency of anything and everything we purchase, for both Gazal and Navya uselessness became an expression that anchored their creative decision. They focused on designing art that need not inherently be utilitarian but rather can simply be.
Gazal states, ‘There’s no pressure to feel anything. Our work is for the people who perceive art in their own way.’ She emphasises that their pieces are meant to give an ‘odd joy’ simply by their presence and vibes. Further, Navya highlights that there is already a lot of pressure to deal with functionality however, removing it from the equation gives them more scope for creativity. Gazal calls it ‘a quiet rebellion against the agenda.’
Material
For their debut collection Echoes on Wood, Navya opens about using veneer and wood. They wanted to start with something they were well aware of and comfortable with. ‘The contrast that these materials produced together became an interesting element, especially the softness and fluidity of the design’, she adds. This collection envisions handcrafted veneer inlay through a contemporary lens, transforming it into a medium of abstraction. For their future collections, Navya tells us they have not boxed themselves to one material and are looking forward to experimenting with different materials like glass, ceramic and textiles as well. To portray the ‘odd joy’ of uselessness in different materials.
Words Shruti Verma
Date 2.10.2026
Founders, Navya and Gazal