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An illustration for a comedy event featuring a yellow figure with a long, pink tongue curling up to hold a peach. To the left, bold text on a green background reads “GAG: A QUEER COMEDY CABARET” and “THE VANGUARD”. The bottom of the image lists the date as “28TH OCTOBER” with showtimes at “6PM & 8:30PM”.

Rupa Anurendra uses found objects and handwritten type to create designs with a personal touch

After making the move to art school, the Melbourne-based designer has developed an inventive and more conceptual design approach.

Being in demand is something most designers strive for, but sometimes, churning out work can end up feeling quite formulaic. It’s this very feeling that Rupa Anurendra is preventing throughout her eclectic practice. Using handwritten type and experimenting with found objects, Rupa enjoys “seeing how I can manipulate an image by arranging and moving objects instead of digital manipulation”. A particularly intuitive example of this approach is Rupa’s poster for DJ Yumdogg Millionaire. Using curry powder shaped on a scanner, she created a playful font with an energy you wouldn’t find with a rendering. All of this effort, Rupa tells us, is so she can “add a personal touch to work that is mainly digital".

After doing a graphic design degree at a technology-centric university, Rupa has recently moved to an art school environment. Currently, she is exploring “plastic and transparency”, as well as trying to make art for herself. “I feel like a baby in the art world, so I’m starting there – with my childhood,” Rupa details. “I’m excited to see how my work matures over time. It feels very therapeutic.”

A collage poster for an event titled “short life, LONG LUNCH”. Red, textured lettering at the top reads “yumdogg millionaire”, while a list of names including “Turbo Thot” and “Kämna” appears in a white box. The bottom of the poster lists the date “28th August 2022” and the time “1pm – 4pm”. It also mentions Hope Street Radio and music curated by Kammudoll.
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Rupa Anurendra: Short Life Long Lunch (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2022)

An illustration of a dense page of handwritten text, overlaid with a series of translucent, overlapping green and blue circles. The organic shapes create a layered, cellular effect across the written words.
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Rupa Anurendra: Understandzine (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2020)

A poster for a “Companion” label launch featuring a muted beige background with pink and brown abstract floral shapes. The line-up lists “Kita”, “Cale Sexton (live)”, “Miscmeg” and “Pjenne & Millú”. Event details at the bottom read “3–9 pm”, “Sat 27 Feb 2021” and “Fairfield Amphitheatre”.
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Rupa Anurendra: Companion Label Lunch (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2021)

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Rupa Anurendra: Signal (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2020)

A purple and brown poster with distorted, liquid-style typography. The main text reads “SIGNAL”, followed by “CLADDY B2B HIPHOPHOE B2B INDICIA” and the repeated phrase “ALL NIGHT”. At the bottom, the event is listed for “27 MARCH 9PM-2AM 424(GASOUPSTAIRS)”.
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Rupa Anurendra: Signal (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2020)

A translucent cube sculpture hangs from the ceiling in front of a colourful stained-glass window. The cube is covered in handwritten text and abstract drawings in pink, blue and green ink.
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Rupa Anurendra: Clean Heart (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2022)

A poster for “Folly Hifi at the Convent” featuring a black and white image of a brutalist concrete building. A large, jagged blue shape resembling a soundwave bursts from the structure across a pale green and white background. Text at the top lists performers including “Sophie McAlister”, “Lori”, “Milo Eastwood”, “Gianni”, “Selena”, “Asha Franco” and “Daisy Records”. Event details state “1–10 pm Saturday 5 Feb” at “Mercator Lawn Abbotsford Convent”.
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Rupa Anurendra: Folly Hifi at the Convent (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2021)

A textured poster for an event called “Animalia”. Green bubble lettering at the top is followed by the text “After hours at Miscellania” and a line-up of names in red. The bottom reads “12pm–7am Sunday 29th May”.
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Rupa Anurendra: Anamalia (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2022)

A 3D render of a metallic, iridescent figure sitting against a dark brown background. The figure holds a glass of red wine and a piece of fruit, with the text “Fin Wines” written in pink in the bottom left corner.
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Rupa Anurendra: Fin Wines (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2020)

A graphic poster on a light blue background with green floral shapes and distorted typography. It reads “Handle en Masse” at the top, followed by a line-up including “Bex”, “Dj Early Grey”, “Sam Alfred”, “Sniper1” and “Yakra”. The bottom right corner lists the date “9 Jan 2022” and the venue “The Gasometer”.
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Rupa Anurendra: Handle en Masse (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2021)

Clear, viscous liquid swirls across a deep purple background. White text at the bottom reads “Daisy Records Volume One”.
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Rupa Anurendra: Daisy Records Volume I (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2022)

A mixed-media artwork featuring a small, yellow gummy bear and a yellow star against a pale blue background. Swirling, translucent textures and raised lines create a dreamlike, cloud-like environment around the figures.
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Rupa Anurendra: Floating In... (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2022)

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Rupa Anurendra: GAG Cabaret (Copyright © Rupa Anurendra, 2020)

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About the Author

Olivia Hingley

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Olivia (she/her) is associate editor of the website, overseeing the day-to-day editorial projects as well as Nicer Tuesdays events. She joined the It’s Nice That team in 2021. ofh@itsnicethat.com

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