Shivika Chopra's project: All the Best – a journey through memories
Have you ever wondered what you would say to someone you’ve lost, if only you had more time? The messages left unsaid often carry the weight of unspoken emotions, lingering in the spaces between us. Shivika Chopra’s All the Best: An Interactive Space for Words Left Unspoken project captures this sentiment, turning personal loss into a powerful, interactive art installation that invites others to reflect on their own stories of love, grief, and connection.
A second-year New Media Design student, Shivika's recent project, All the Best, blends art, technology, and deep personal reflection, creating a moving space for connection and shared experiences. The story behind this creative endeavor is just as unique as the project itself, starting with an intimate connection to her family history and culminating in a powerful and emotional exhibit.
Honoring memory through art
The idea for All the Best came to Shivika during a conversation with a friend about using her grandfather’s handwritten diaries in a creative project. She explains, “I had all these clippings from his diaries and felt a pull to do something with them.” What began as a simple desire to honor her grandfather evolved into an exploration of memory, identity, and loss. An unexpected moment led her to apply for the Imagine RIT: Creativity and Innovation Festival. “A few days later, I was sitting on the college steps when a poster to apply for Imagine RIT flashed on the screen in front of me. It felt like it was meant to happen.”
With support from her professor, Dr. Jurica Dolić, Shivika embarked on the journey to develop a custom typeface based on her grandfather’s handwriting. The process was thorough, as she scanned diary pages and worked through the alphabet. “I focused on one alphabet at a time, finding at least 7–8 instances of each letter, both uppercase and lowercase. I carefully studied the patterns and his way of writing. The typeface was built by analyzing those forms and replicating their natural rhythm and variation. It was a very slow and intimate process.” From the beginning, Dr. Dolić provided Shivika with guidance on how to structure and plan the project, offering mentorship that balanced creative input and personal advice. “My role was to help her stay focused, overcome roadblocks, and maintain momentum while ensuring the work remained a student-led effort”, he says.
By combining the tactile elements of letterpress with modern digital tools, she added layers of complexity to her project. She used laser cutting, 3D printing, and varnishing to create physical letterpress blocks. To integrate digital interaction, she turned to TouchDesigner, a tool for creating interactive projections. “I’ve always felt drawn to tactile, physical experiences in art. At the same time, my education gave me the tools to integrate digital elements meaningfully,” she shares.
As the project evolved, it became a personal expression of loss, memory, and connection. The exhibit created a space where others could process their own emotions. Shivika recalls, “The most meaningful part was seeing how people reacted to it during the exhibit. It became a space for vulnerability and connection, and I’m grateful I could create that.”
Expanding the project into a series
Looking ahead, Shivika envisions expanding All the Best into a series that spans across cultures, gathering unspoken messages from around the world. She hopes to build on this foundation and continue evolving the project, which will reflect the universal need for connection and emotional expression through the creative process. “Each edition could reflect a different place or culture. I’m curious to see where it takes me,” she says. Her work “demonstrates creativity, resilience, and a willingness to explore innovative solutions, which reflect the kind of mindset we encourage throughout the program”, Dr. Dolić added.
