The query that architect and lighting designer Arjun Rathi bought requested essentially the most on the latest Salone del Mobile was: “Are you Indians manufacturing in Murano?” It was the primary time that Indian blown glass was exhibited on the famend Milan design week. Now, the 2 restricted version collections — Vanaspati and Wishing Tree — are again in India, and on show at Rathi’s Rural Modern Glass Studio in Mumbai and at their lighting gallery at Eros Theatre.
Vanaspati
“The Vanaspati collection is inspired by endangered species of flora and fauna from Indian forests,” says Rathi, who collaborated with artist Tejas Thackeray and the Thackeray Wildlife Foundation. “We have pitcher plants [endangered in the Northeast because of ecosystem decimation], several kinds of wild flowers, and sweet lilies that are found in the eastern forests. Glass frogs and tiny metal creatures such as gold plated beetles, wasps, and bees, cast by an artist from Jaipur, have also been fused onto the lights.”
Cobra lily sconces
The Wishing Tree assortment, however, seems to be to the banyan tree — and the desires that folks make as they stroll round it in temples throughout the size and breadth of the nation. “All the textures were created by taking real banyan roots and burning them into the glass,” shares the designer.
The Wishing Tree
The two collections mark the studio’s first try at mixing two schools of glass: flameworking (shaping glass utilizing a torch to soften the fabric) and blown glass. “We are also experimenting with so many colours for the first time, from reds and pinks to blues, greens and yellows. Compatibility is a big challenge in glass making,” Rathi provides.
With 15 editions of every design, the gathering is priced between ₹3.5 lakh and ₹12 lakh.
Details: ruralmodern.glass
