Art at work: two custom murals for our Bangalore office
The space in which you work matters. It should inspire and elevate. And it should tell the story of the company, its jobs, and its people. Our brand design team set out to do all of that with our new office in Bangalore, India.
The team considered everything from the small details—like the color and font used for conference room signage—to the big stuff like floorplans and furniture. Somewhere in the middle was decor. How could we create a space that felt both uniquely Rippling and uniquely Bangalore?
“We wanted to celebrate Bangalore's unique culture—its colors, people, and possibilities. What better way to bring this culture to life than to work with an artist like Noopur Choksi,” notes Ricky Bloxsom, who art directed the project. “The murals Noopur helped us create completely blow up the traditional minimal corporate vibe. They breathe life into the space. They tell a story. We couldn’t be more excited to see this work on the walls.”
What follows is Noopur’s story—what drives her to create, glimpses into her process, and her inspiration for the murals.
What inspires you? And where do you go to seek inspiration?
I’ve realized that much of my art comes from somewhere between my intuition, all my mental chatter, and a constant search for warmth within my imagination.
I am inspired by the aspect of storytelling within music, science, people, and spaces. Exploring inner, intangible worlds, and turning them into something tangible, is also a constant source of inspiration.
Many of my creative ideas also come from my interactions with people and nature, things I watch, dreams, fashion & queer culture, powerful feminine figures, and actual moments and spaces in life that trigger some unexpected feeling, mood, or memory—I love the idea of turning something mundane into a visual treasure chest.
Can you give us a glimpse into the illustration scene in Bangalore?
Bangalore is a melting pot of diverse artists and creators, so it is always buzzing with social events, gatherings, and tons of art- and music-centric gatherings.
There has recently been a resurgence of community-focused art and design events that have helped the community connect and stay inspired. I feel like the illustration scene in Bangalore is getting a makeover of sorts, with young professionals revamping the more traditional conventional approach to reflect the current socio-political and cultural climate.
How did you get introduced to Rippling?
I remember being contacted by Sumanth on Instagram, who introduced me to Ricky over email. I researched the Rippling brand and found the foundation, positioning, online presence, and overall visual language fresh and inspiring.
I got to know more about the brand ethos during my initial briefing call with the brand team—I instantly connected with their vision for the project and we had a quick brainstorming session where we volleyed some ideas and concepts we wanted to explore for the murals.
I also had the opportunity to meet the team in person when they traveled for a site visit in Bangalore. Every interaction has been warm, open, and receptive—the passion and positivity from the team have been inspiring!
Do you have any favorite “tools of the trade”?
While I appreciate the freedom and flexibility that technology brings to the table, I want to be able to retain the individuality and imperfections of the analog medium. My “style” is a volatile marriage between the two.
Hand-drawn lines seem to have more life, warmth, and spontaneity than digital work. I love using brush pens and ink. In terms of software, Photoshop and Illustrator are my go-to's.
How did you interpret the mural brief? On a related note, what about Rippling inspired you to take the creative direction you eventually chose?
The concept for the mural revealed itself to me in layers. It was a process of dissection, dialogue, and discovery.
My initial conversations with the Rippling brand team helped me understand the brand’s ethos, principles, and culture. I realized that the brand lies at the convergence of technology and human experience. It’s fresh, contemporary, and highly relevant. And its products are focused on details and efficiency.
The brand name and visual identity stood out from very early on. I was fascinated by the idea of a “ripple effect”—the consequence of a series of intentional, powerful, and far-reaching actions. I explored and expanded upon this core idea in my art.
Hand-drawn lines seem to have more life, warmth, and spontaneity than digital work. I love using brush pens and ink. In terms of software, Photoshop and Illustrator are my go-to's.
I was also inspired by the physical space in which the murals will exist. The two murals are situated in areas that work in different time zones. One team works on Pacific Standard Time, while the other works on Indian Standard Time. It’s a detail that I thought could add another level of relevance to the work.
Once I understood the stories we wanted to tell, it was all about weaving the brand's diverse tangible and intangible aspects into a compelling visual narrative.
An initial concept was inspired by the idea of unity—collaboration and the coming together of different teams from across continents to make Rippling what it is today. I used this concept to help create my first round of sketches.
How would you like people to interpret the murals once they’re complete? How do you want them to make people feel?
I hope everyone who interacts with the murals can connect to the stories in their unique way. I hope they bring their perspectives to the interpretation. And that they feel a sense of spark, intrigue, innovation, and collaboration.
I hope people are transported to a fantastical Rippling experience celebrating the brand’s unique business approach, values, and energy.
The murals are layered with multiple levels of detail and narratives—I hope people enjoy unpacking and journeying through those details.
Noopur Choksi's work is fantastic, and we can't thank her enough. (Follow along on Instagram and Behance.)
Bangalore is hiring across Engineering, Support, Finance, and more. See all the open roles here.
