HAMILTON, NY.- Last week, Suchi Reddy unveiled her new immersive sculptural work, Bias and Belonging, at Colgate University's Clifford Gallery. The exhibition and presentation of this work is the culmination of Reddy’s yearlong engagement with the Colgate community at the 2024-2025 Christian A. Johnson Artist-in-Residence, exploring the nuanced intersections of bias, belonging, and spatial experience.
Throughout her residency, Reddy conducted a series of intimate conversations with students, faculty, staff, and local community members across multiple disciplines—including philosophy, psychology, sociology, women’s studies, computer science, art, and neuroscience. These discussions examined how individuals experience inclusion and exclusion in physical and digital spaces, particularly in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and technological mediation.
The resulting work is an immersive installation centered around a woven textile created using Colgate’s state-of-the-art TC2 digital loom. The fabric itself is a complex, layered representation of the community’s collective stories, with its patterns and markings symbolizing families, histories, and personal experiences of belonging and bias. Suspended within the gallery, the textile is surrounded by icons, texts, and abstracted spatial forms—each derived from the narratives shared during Reddy’s conversations with the community. Hand-sewn details add a human touch, reinforcing the interplay between individual expression and collective identity.
“As an architect and artist, I see space as a profound medium through which we navigate identity and community,” said Reddy. “With Bias and Belonging, I sought to understand how we experience prejudice and acceptance in the environments around us. This piece is both an investigation and a celebration of the emotional, psychological, and cultural dimensions of belonging. The markings within the textile are drawn from the memories, stories, and reflections shared with me—they represent the ways we map ourselves in space, how we feel seen or unseen, included or excluded.”
Rooted in Reddy’s larger artistic and architectural philosophy, Bias and Belonging expands on her social practice, which prioritizes human experience in design. Reddy’s work is guided by the principle of “form follows feeling,” an approach that centers individual and collective emotional responses to space. This installation continues her exploration of how architecture, technology, and materiality can reflect and shape the deeply personal and shared experiences of belonging and bias. By translating oral histories and lived experiences into tactile and visual language, Reddy brings forward a spatial narrative that makes intangible emotions and identities physically present.
In addition to fostering campus-wide discussions on these critical topics, Reddy’s work aligns with Colgate University’s longstanding dedication to intellectual inquiry and creative expression. The university’s Third-Century Plan has placed a strong emphasis on interdisciplinary collaboration and the integration of technology with the arts, a vision exemplified by the state-of-the-art Fabulation Lab in Bernstein Hall, where Reddy created the exhibition’s textile piece.
“Suchi Reddy’s work embodies Colgate’s mission to explore complex ideas and foster creative solutions,” said Margaretha Haughwout, director of Clifford Gallery and associate professor of art at Colgate University. “Her engagement with our students and faculty has deepened our understanding of how space, technology, and personal experience intersect to shape our sense of identity and belonging.”
The exhibition is presented by Colgate University’s Art Department and the Christian A. Johnson Foundation, whose Artist-in-Residence program has brought distinguished artists to the Colgate community since 1986.
Suchi Reddy
Suchi Reddy, FAIA, is an architect, designer, and leading figure in the field of neuroaesthetics, exploring the profound impact of design on human perception and well-being. As the founder of Reddymade, a New York-based practice established in 2002, Reddy has built a body of work spanning public art installations, civic and cultural spaces, commercial interiors, and residential projects
Guided by her philosophy that "form follows feeling," her practice integrates neuroaesthetics and architecture to create environments that positively shape human experience . Neuroaesthetics underpins Reddy’s approach to every Reddymade project, providing a framework for understanding how design affects the brain and body. This research-driven perspective was exemplified in "A Space for Being," an installation with Google, Muuto, and the International Arts + Mind Lab at Johns Hopkins, which demonstrated how environments elicit measurable physiological responses. Her work extends into healthcare, where she has designed a hospital room prototype for children with disorders of consciousness, incorporating a "spatial prescription" to aid recovery.
Her work in neuroaesthetics spans design, research, and advocacy. In residential and institutional architecture, she tailors intimate environments to foster creativity, rest, and belonging, while her public installations use neuroaesthetic principles to evoke connection, wonder, and empowerment. Currently, her practice is also involved in a research initiative exploring neuroaesthetic-driven approaches to designing for neurodiversity. As a recognized leader in the field, Reddy has presented her work at Bloomberg CityLab, Aspen Ideas, and other key institutions.
Elevated to the prestigious College of Fellows of the American Institute of Architects (FAIA), Reddy is a prolific speaker, educator, and advocate for designing for wellbeing. She teaches at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning, and Preservation and is the 2024-2025 Christian A. Johnson Artist-in-Residence at Colgate University. She serves on the boards of the Design Trust for Public Space, Storefront for Art and Architecture, and Madame Architect, continuing to push the boundaries of architecture’s role in shaping a more empathetic, equitable, and enriching built environment. Born and raised in India, she is now based in New York City.
