Crafting Playful, Culture-Driven Digital Narratives: Christie Wu on Designing for the Mumbai Gallery Association and Beyond

Christie Wu is a concept-driven digital designer working at the intersection of culture, design, and technology. Her work emphasizes playful interactions, inventive ideas, and unexpected concepts, aiming to create joy through engaging visual stories. Personal projects include Wandering Wombs and the Mumbai Gallery Association website. At DEPT®, she has designed for Twitch, eBay, Nordstrom, and Ariana Grande Fragrances, winning a Shorty Gold Award for Twitch Social x TwitchCon in the Live Events Coverage category.

What was the primary objective behind creating the official website for the Mumbai Gallery Association? Could you share more about the initial vision and how it evolved throughout the project?

My friend Naomi Shah designed the stunning brand identity for the Mumbai Gallery Association, and when they came back to her for a website series, I was brought on as a collaborator. We started with the Mumbai Gallery Weekend, embracing a bold and playful approach for the pop-up site, allowing us to go all out with a fun, expressive design. For the main website of the Mumbai Gallery Association, however, we took a more refined approach, focusing on clean, easy-to-read layouts while preserving a touch of playfulness through bold typography, subtle animations, and bright accent colors.

What role did you personally play in this project, and how did your team collaborate to bring it to life?

For the site, we worked closely together despite the time difference—she was in Mumbai, and I was in Los Angeles. Our schedules complemented each other perfectly, allowing us to pick up where the other left off each day. I also took the lead on technical aspects of web development, such as working with CSS and JavaScript to implement features not supported by Webflow’s panels, including creating the custom shape on the gallery page for Mumbai Gallery Weekend.

How did you ensure the design of the website aligns with the identity and mission of the Mumbai Gallery Association? Were there any specific elements or design themes that were crucial to convey?

To ensure the website design aligned with the identity and mission of the Mumbai Gallery Association (MGA), we approached it as an interesting challenge. The MGA identity needed to remain neutral, avoiding any particular artistic style or design to act as a welcoming home for the diverse galleries and practices it represents. This limitation became an opportunity to introduce subtle, surprising design elements—such as checked patterns and dashed lines in the menu—while keeping the overall design crisp and clean. Naomi did an exceptional job communicating with the client, which was instrumental in achieving this balance. MGA provided us with significant creative freedom and trusted our design choices, making the process both enjoyable and productive. In brainstorming, we focused on ensuring MGA’s brand identity remained prominent without overshadowing the galleries or artists featured. We also recognized that MGA’s lengthy name and extensive gallery descriptions required a clear typographic hierarchy for readability. To support a clean, streamlined layout, we opted for a hamburger menu on the desktop version, allowing for intuitive navigation and reinforcing the minimalist design.

Could you share insights on the process of developing the pop-up websites for the Mumbai Gallery Weekends? What are some unique features or functionalities tailored for these events?

The pop-up website needed to feel unique, eye-catching, fun, and exciting. To achieve this, we incorporated dynamic scrolling animations and placed a prominent map button at the top for easy access at any time. To maximize the immersive experience, we used large cover images and a vibrant, non-traditional background color—going beyond basic black or white—which created a distinctive atmosphere and transported users into a different world.

What were the major challenges faced during the design and development of these websites, and how were they addressed?

Fortunately, the biggest challenges we encountered were within our capabilities. However, we did face issues with the map design, as third-party plugins often have limitations—something we quickly learned to prioritize at the start of the design process. Additionally, incorporating irregular shapes and color blocks proved challenging when creating a responsive site. It took time and experimentation to perfect the CSS configuration to achieve the parallelogram shapes on the Mumbai Gallery Weekend website.

How did the website enhance user experience for visitors, particularly during the Mumbai Gallery Weekends? Were there any special interactive or user-engagement features added for the event?

The website significantly enhanced user experience for visitors, particularly during the Mumbai Gallery Weekend (MGW), by providing easy access to information that was previously available only on Instagram. The addition of an interactive map proved especially useful, allowing users to locate galleries and plan their visits efficiently. The website also prioritized clear organization and accessibility, offering equal emphasis to each gallery and presenting information in a structured, user-friendly format. This created a comprehensive database where visitors could virtually browse each gallery’s shows directly on the site, enhancing engagement and making it easier for users to explore the event’s offerings from any location.

How was feedback from stakeholders, artists, and visitors incorporated into the website’s design and development?

A key focus of the website was to give all galleries equal priority, as they are central to the Mumbai Gallery Association’s mission. We wanted to bring these galleries to the forefront, showcasing them as a primary feature. Additionally, we designed the site to serve as a user-friendly, go-to repository for all things art in Mumbai, making it accessible not only during major events like Mumbai Gallery Weekend but also for monthly and yearly visits.

Can you share any notable metrics or outcomes since the launch of the website that demonstrate its impact or success?

We can likely track website visits through Webflow, but it’s clear the site has already made it much easier for people to find information, share specific pages, and broaden awareness of Mumbai’s thriving art scene beyond Instagram. This expanded reach has been particularly valuable given Mumbai’s larger and more dynamic art community compared to other Indian cities. Additionally, when we launched the website for Mumbai Gallery Weekend, it created a sensation on social media, generating numerous exciting messages and reposts on Instagram, further boosting engagement and visibility for the event.

What design or development trends influenced this project, considering it is focused on the arts and culture sector?

The project was influenced by design and development trends that aligned with creating an international, design-forward, and contemporary identity—essential for an arts organization. It was crucial that the website not only reflected this aesthetic but also felt current, as we’re building it for the future. We drew inspiration from the structural and aesthetic approaches of other contemporary art institutions, which guided many of our design decisions for the Mumbai Gallery Weekend site. At the same time, we wanted the site to remain welcoming and dynamic, setting it apart and making it accessible to a wide audience while embodying a distinctive style that resonates within the arts and culture sector.