Chennai | Modernism and functionality join hands at this art and design show

Dolphin drink tables and papercut canvases: Art, design and aesthetics come together at a showcase curated by Neon Attic in Chennai

A slice of midtown Manhattan — more specifically the Museum of Modern Art (MoMa) — inspires the contemporary, clean aesthetic at Royapettah’s Folly at Amethyst today. For, across the gallery stand pieces of functional art, each with a story of their own.

A sleek, almost fluid layout introduces each piece – a drink table that is simply a dolphin’s tail, which appears to sprout from the ground, a series of paper cuts on paper canvases enclosed in glass, or a single, standing fan with a bamboo base. There is even a lounge chair, that is almost Surrealist, reminiscent of one of Dali’s molten clocks. Titled Modernism +, the display is a pleasing window into the intersection of art, design and theory. A space where aesthetics marries functionality. 

Curated by the design firm Neon Attic helmed by Rambha Sheth and Sripriya Ganesan, the display is a collaboration with designers and artists from across India, with a shared aesthetic. “Through our projects, we started getting into the art world very seriously. We end up working with a lot of galleries across the country, and some that many might not have heard of. So we thought, why not bring them here.” 

The show, which has been in the works for almost six months, has tastefully curated corners. It is centred around Modernism, an art movement that originated in the late 19th and early 20th century and encouraged experimentation, both in form and ideology. It is difficult to bracket the movement into a single, linear aesthetic, and the display is aware of this limitation. 

Simply put, the show encapsulates the ideology of a home that Rambha and Sripriya would share, if they had one. “We had the theme in mind, which was shared with the artists who customised their work according to their narrative,” adds Rambha. They felt that the whole dialogue around design could be a lot more vibrant in Chennai, and this is an attempt at that. 

The featured artists are an eclectic mix of new age and season design firms, as well artists from the country : Vahe, Nama Home, Rhizome, Andblack, Length Breadth Height, Eitri, Java Homes, Rutva Joshi Design, Cultivate Art, 079 Stories, Shailesh Rajput, Harshita Jamthank, Arvind Sundar, Pradeep Ahirwar, Upasana Asrani and  Rewati Shahani are a few names to note. 

Sripriya says, “The designers whose pieces have been featured in the show are truly making an India for the world.” And they work with local Indian artisans to create their pieces, which was a big draw for the curators.