I met social anthropologist Dr. Aarti Kawlra yesterday. Here are some insights from our conversation.

Approaches

Socio Economic- value, money, power
Anthropological- communities, traditions, auspiciousness, ritual
Visual Culture- taste, aesthetics, identity, influences

Narrow your focus- for example, take one aspect of cultural value (e.g auspiciousness) and visualise it.
Create something contemporary and relevant.
Don't lose sight of your strengths and skills as a graphic designer. Create a work that is within the realm of graphic/visual culture.
Use the knowledge gleaned from sociological study to interpret and analyse your subject matter.
Create outcomes that derive from the visual culture surrounding the artefact.
Don't create a text heavy publication.
Don't have predominantly communities-focused approach- this could raise ethical concerns. Can you really make generalizations about communities? Focus instead of the visual traditions surrounding the artefact. Use the artefact as a lens to view the communities who are affected by it.