MASALA CHAI : South Asian Art & Design.

NEW location!

2014-06-06T00:32:00.002+05:30

MASALA CHAI has moved.

Please update your bookmarks! and follow me for fresh #desihip art+design at

www.masalachai.in

Lust List : Indian peacock

2013-09-14T12:50:00.002+05:30

The most splendid bird of them all...the Indian Peacock.

Artnlight tray, India Circus Mug, Udd Dupatta, Ambii Cushion, Frame from Buynbrag, Rachana Reddy Clutch.

Pardeep Singh Bahra

2013-09-12T10:39:00.001+05:30

Pardeep Singh Bahra, the founder of Singh Street Style, is a photographer and stylist based in London, England.

Having started his own photography business at the tender age of 17, Pardeep has established himself in his field with his simplistic, elegant and cinematic approach to photography which can be seen through this blog.

Pardeep has had his work featured Vogue, The Guardian Newspaper, New York Daily Newspaper, Microsoft MSN, Menswearstyle, Asiana as well as many other articles.

Aarti Karwayun Chawda

2013-09-12T10:29:00.000+05:30

Stumbled onto Aarti's work via Artnlight: an incredible design blog, loved these collage/decoupage pieces by the artist. Aarti created these works from a vintage photography book that belonged to her grandfather.

"This series of mix media illustration is my way to connect things of the past and share love for "all things vintage" with the world. Old stories of simple, joyous things like Bicycles, Typewriters, Vespa, Cassettes find new expressions on my grandfathers old books from 1940s.

I have tried to bring these old things to life by adding real 2D elements like dried flowers, an unfinished poem on a real paper stuck to the typewriter, an old cassette tape with the reel pulled."

Quirk Box

2013-09-11T14:17:00.001+05:30

Absolutely on point with trending silhouettes, QuirkBox produces a collection that is extremely wearable yet edgy print wise. Jayesh Sachdev and Rixi Bhatia conceived QB in 2011 if I'm not wrong and their burgeoning popularity is proof of how talented and business savvy this duo is. They have countless lifestyle products and furniture that my magpie mind lusts after but I present to you their very yummy ice cream coloured collection for your perusal.

Jessica Singh

2013-09-11T13:41:00.001+05:30

This interview was due years ago. It's been sitting in my inbox for the past three years gathering dust.

Jessica Singh's work is part whimsy , part anime-like, part dreamy and all round beautiful. Her surreal little details add to the imaginative quality of her works. Her subjects are often coy and lost in a wonderland of their own. She is most definitely on my lust list!

one of the most interesting things about your work is all the little details that you layer, could you explain your process? how much of it is digital/handmade?

I find that I always tend to start with the eyes. If they don't work out, then the drawing never does. The entirety of the image is formed in Photoshop, with the drawing and coloring created with a pen tablet. I guess I find this a really great medium because it's easy to edit, quickly get ideas down, change colors and helps me achieve the things I see in my minds eye.

I tend to be a layer-o-holic. My more detailed drawings end up having about 120 layers. I also never label the layers, which is pretty counter intuitive when I'm trying to find a specific thing. In terms of what is handmade, alot of texture, patterns and collage is. For my Celestial Cocoon and Arkhana series I did hand cut the papers (indian comic books, japanese chiyogami paper), glue and collage them by hand, and then scan them in, and arrange the collage into the drawing.

I rely pretty heavily on my scanner. Sometimes I spend a day hunched over the scanner on the floor, scanning things I've collected, like alfoil, joss paper, fabric scraps and odds and ends. Scanners amaze me! I love textures and patterns and I find it pretty important to somehow bring a sense of texture into a digital format which can be a little 2D sometimes.

what do you do to get your creative juices flowing? music/pop culture/books/magazines/tv shows

Music is a huge one. I guess I have to admit that I go into a kind of trance when I draw, and most of the time each drawing relates to a song I've just discovered and played on repeat. I'm usually inspired by the lyrics of the song at the time, I find they speak to my soul. Sometimes I dance while drawing - somewhat sad, but true! That's why I find it hard to draw when people are around. As if their aura disrupts me, and the freedom to feeling.

A big inspiration to me creatively is Bjork - I admire her boldness, it's as if she's made from fire. I think when I draw I hope to express my inner flame too.

how would you describe your work? I see a lot of asian/mystical influences , what draws you to them?

Describing your own work is so difficult. Whenever I look at my work I can only see it in sections, not as a whole. But I'm digressing. I guess I would say bold, colorful, feminine, a bit strange. But these are all fairly obvious. What I would prefer to say is esoteric, mystical and powerful. Powerful in the sense that the characters I draw are powerful, maybe even super heroines! I would also say that in some ways I see each one as a self portrait, either as a section of my personality that lives within, or just as characters that float around my head.

Yes, there tend to be alot of asian and mystical influences. What first got me into drawing was my obsession with japanese culture and subsequently, anime and manga. As I grew older and currently I've really taken a love for all cultures, in terms of folk lore. I'm really inspired by colorful headdresses and textiles, traditional ceremonies and so on. My mother is quite an esoteric character, and she did kind of introduce me to a mystical world of crystals and spirits and things like that, and my father being indian is a pretty spiritual dude himself.

who are your favourite artists/designers

The first that always comes to my mind is Japanese illustrator Minchi. Actually there are so many illustrators I love I can hardly keep track. But at the moment I am really admiring Nathalie Lete. Really inspired by more hands on painters, and I'm hoping to bring a more painterly quality to new artwork.

how does your south asian-ness influence you/ at what moments does it peek in?

As I kid growing up I think I really rejected my Indian heritage (My father is Punjabi). But I recognise that as pretty normal for those crucial years. I think living in an isolated city (Perth, Western Australia) can really contribute to that. After having lived in London for 2 years I came to really appreciate my Indian heritage. Just after I graduated, I created the Arkhana! series which was pretty carthatic. I suppose it was coming back to my roots. I used to be obsessed with the comic books my father bought back from India, and am only realising now that their levels of fantasy and mysticism, strange colorings has really filtered into my drawing style now.

Whats your current colour palette?

Good Question! I love stealing paint sample cards from hardware stores - sorry! At the moment it's kind of a vivid blue, pale pink/peach, pale violet, bright orange - taken from a new drawing I'm working on.

Lust List : Vestal White

2013-09-10T14:25:00.001+05:30

For when you are feeling beautiful and pure.

Clockwise : Sarita Handa pillow , Sachin George Sebastian flower sculpture , O frida beaded clutch , Tantrum lace ballet flats , Nisshk shift dress, Home Hero Chair

Giant walls

2013-09-10T13:31:00.005+05:30

Love these goofy toys/dolls from Giant walls. Giant Walls is the creation of Rahul and Yadnyee Gaikwad, a husband wife team that is deeply in love with design, colour, creative expression, and all forms of art unconstrained by material or medium. They also are the brains behind Giant Robot, an urban design house engaged in innovative graphic design, conceptual illustration and motion.

Vidhya Nagarajan

2013-09-10T12:22:00.001+05:30

Freelance illustrator Vidhya Nagarajan's rendition of Chennai warms my heart. These are sights we can all relate to.Visit her site for more .

Lust List : Candy colours

2013-09-09T16:50:00.001+05:30

This is my first attempt at a 'personal' lust list . This section will be a curation of items of clothing, art , decor and accessories that I lust for. Forgive my layout, it was created in a hurry on an online editor, if anybody has any design advice for me to make my job easier please write to me! :)

If you want to get on the Lust list, write to me at pavitramohan @ gmail. com

1. Paneled Tank from Bhane, 2. Earrings from Isharya 3. Kareishma Saarna clutch 4. Bowl from Happpily Unmarried 5. Chair from Quirk Box 6. Wall Art from India Circus

Sameer Kulavoor

2013-09-09T12:18:00.002+05:30

I found the most incredible goodies in my mail last week. Sameer Kulavoor, a friend and design god, had sent me The Ghoda Cycle project documented in a book , as well as two fun flip books , that I'm going to post a video of. I absolutely have one of his illustrations on my lust list , for my home. But that's for later. Take a gander at his incredible exploration of the Ghoda cycle in all it's avatars .This is what Sameer has to say about his illustrations, "The Ghoda Cycle Project' is a visual document of the myriad avatars of bicycles in the rural and urban landscape of India.The linchpin of 'The Ghoda Cycle Project' is to lay emphasis on the framework, structure, decoration and design of the cycles ofIndia.Ergonomically these cycles may not be the best examples of bicycle design, but they have the strength to carry the hopes and aspirations of a big section of the Indian population". The illustrations have also been adapted into t shirts for fashion brand Paul Smith.

OH FLIP! - Ice Gola Flipbook from Sameer Kulavoor / BDD on Vimeo.

RasVihar

2013-09-09T11:54:00.001+05:30

RasVihar , has been a boutique destination for designer fine jewelry. I myself have bought an exquisite pair of earrings here that gets compliments all the time. They are having a showcase celebrating the timeless relevance of the nosepin in a collection titled The Nosering Anthology.This series features over 40 different nose ring designs for you to choose from. If you are in Chennai on the 9th and 10th of September, do visit them. Details here.

Manjari Sharma

2013-08-30T12:33:00.002+05:30

Manjari Sharma's work is a painstakingly detailed recreation of the ubiquitous imagery we've seen growing up in India. Her new series of photographs titled ' Darshan' - refering to the viewing of the idols or representations of the Hindu dieties in temples, is a photographic installation of nine mythological Hindu gods and goddesses. The imagery is ingrained into my head, her interpretation is a fresh take on something that I've seen countless times.

Her words on Darshan, " Sometimes belonging to a complex and rich heritage is so overwhelming that you have to go far away to fall in love again"

"A real Darshan changes you forever. The sounds, sights, smells and visuals of a Darshan are very particular and you take them for granted as a teenager growing up in India. Try Ignoring them for a bit... and they return to you subconsciously making you long for what feels like a distant reverie"

Explore her work here.

Mashaal Arshad Khan + Nayna Sisodiya

2013-08-29T13:47:00.003+05:30

These London based surface textile designers, came together to design and create an explosive collection of seperates. The pieces themselves are simple and assymetric, keeping the focus on the beautiful fabric. The surface design is inspired by arabic script and indigenous art forms as well as the woman who takes on the roles of 'warrior', 'mother','provider'. The warm , colourful tones are reminiscent of both Mashaal and Nayna's south asian backgrounds. Very eye catching.

Mia Sandhu

2013-08-29T13:21:00.002+05:30

Mia Sandhu is a Toronto based visual artist who explores personal and contemporary cross cultural narratives. "My work explores and expands on the tension I feel as a second generation daughter of Sikh and Canadian heritage."Her works evoke a heavy sense of nostalgia and visual imagery of sepia toned photographs from the 80's. Love her illustrative style.

Mozez Singh

2013-08-23T16:18:00.003+05:30

Mozez Singh’s first design collection is Mughal Pop. The collection finds its inspiration

from Mughal art/architecture/designs/motifs. Mozez explores the tradition and heritage of India by giving it a modern, contemporary and vant-garde twist. The utilitarian furniture pieces are made in various delightful colors of acrylic and jeweled with fabulous semi precious stones. This evokes a style more like pop art, but at the same time, the gems add a richness and luster that transports each piece to the royal era of the Mughals. Mughal Pop is a luxe collection of furniture, home accessories and objet d'art.

Harsh Raman Singh Paul

2013-08-23T14:50:00.000+05:30

Harsh Raman Singh Paul is taking to the streets of Hauz Khaz and painting the walls. Interesting street art is a rarity in India, where the popular sights are the political posters and ironically interesting kitsch b grade film posters.

"I like to create Art that no one can own. Something that is not created with an intent to sell. It is free and pure. Its for the streets and those who dwell there. Reminding them of the precious things in life, that money still cant buy. All that you need is a soul that keeps you human and an imagination that takes you away."

Jasjyot Singh Hans

2013-08-22T14:03:00.000+05:30

I've been a huge fan of Jasjyot's fashion illustrations. I particularly love this entry into the Air France+ Manish Arora contest, for aspiring fashion designers. Jasjyot's collection is inspired by the almost mundane and omnipresent starched white school uniforms that countless school girls wear . His structured silhouettes bring back some nostalgia. Vote for him here.

Meera Sethi

2013-08-21T13:31:00.000+05:30

Foreign Returned explores South Asian identities through time and space while making specific references to Canada, India and Australia. Using vibrant colour and bold pattern, this new work offers a contemporary interpretation of iconography from 16th to 19th century Indian miniature paintings. Meera Sethi is an Indian born artist, based out of Toronto.

Manish Arora + Amrapalli

2013-08-21T13:26:00.003+05:30

Manish Arora's collaboration with jewelry house Amrapalli features signature colourful pieces in gold with a lot of in lay and enamel work. Beautiful yet quirky pieces. Love love love it. Find it here.

Tobias Mergerie

2013-08-16T12:19:00.001+05:30

Final Cut , a collection of skateboards hand carved in wood by craftspeople from Mahim, Mumbai, is the brainchild of German curator Tobias Megerle. Each piece is one of a kind, probably not very functional but extremely cool. This ones for the collectors! via CNN

Rishidev R.K

2013-08-16T11:48:00.000+05:30

"Rishidev rk, a man of many hats. Illustrator. Artist. Art Director. But the one he adorns the most is that of a sculptor. A Fine arts student from Kannur, Kerala, he has always followed his heart, right from his wall-scribbling days. Inspired by geometry in traditional art forms, his signature style includes a lot of colours and patterns. He started out his career in Bangalore working on several memorable advertising campaigns. In his free time, he has been seen creating designer sneakers, trunk boxes, clay models and other interesting artefacts. As part of his journey to learn and be part of bigger things, he has moved to Delhi and is currently an Art Director at Wieden + Kennedy."

Taarika John

2013-08-15T12:38:00.000+05:30

Cochin born Taarika John is a compulsive reader and artist, and has been one from a very young age. As a child , she often had her fingers covered in paint, or her nose buried in a book. As an adult, nothing has changed, she says.

"I love illustration and I am a chatterbox. I like to make people laugh. In social situations, I am often identified as a "story teller." "

I absolutely love her 'Kerela Alphabet' , that hits home (with me being a Malayali). Pretty endearing.

Harikrishnan Panicker

2013-06-26T08:00:00.000+05:30

Harikrishnan Panicker is a Denver based Digital Artist originally from Mumbai. Although his area of expertise is graphic art, his backlit paper sculptures speak of a precision that belie a digital artist. This nimble fingered dreamer draws his inspiration from his father and wife , who are both captivating storytellers. His pieces are created and executed to the soothing sounds of sufi music.

Of his work he says,"I think I make really fresh and interesting pieces of art. I have a digital art background and my earlier days were mostly working on the computer, My wife Deepti is the exact opposite, she hates using the computer to make art. She is the rebel, the explorer and I think that has definitely influenced how I work. We discovered working with paper and we kept evolving with the art. Its more tactile, handmade, has this raw quality to the art. We love the feel of paper. I personally like to be minimal with the art, and add that extra layer of complexity with use the lights. It has a lot of love, care and hard work in it and It makes someone looking at it happy ". Follow him on Thumbdemon

Tanvi Arora

2013-06-25T09:00:00.000+05:30

Tanvi Arora is a Fashion Jewellery student of London College of Fashion.

She was inspired by the colourful eccentricities of the circus.

"“Cirque de Folie” or The Circus of Madness, takes you to a world of drama, mystic and magic.

From playful rabbits to fierce lions, this hand crafted collection of sunglasses are made up of different materials like 18k gold plated Silver, Acrylic, Enamel & Acetate.

The colours used are vibrant blues, pinks, reds, with gold and rose gold."