Brands woo artists to add value to products, campaigns

By collaborating with artists, brands are consciously creating a sustainable environment besides preserving our age-old art forms

At the India Design Week held some weeks ago in New Delhi, Kohler had a very special product and a unique collaboration that started a few conversations.

A limited edition sink named "Quila" turned into a work of art in the hands of Padma Shri awardee, miniature painter Jai Prakash Lakhiwal.

Lakhiwal creates stories of the glorious Rajputana past through evocative visuals, bringing forth the charm of Rajasthan in an exclusive collaboration with Kohler for the Indian Artist Edition.

A self-taught artist, Lakhiwal started painting very young and learnt the intricacies from Ustad Feroz, whose ancestors were painters in the Mughal court. Besides creating art pieces for several dignitaries, Lakhiwal also hand-paints for a leading Kimono brand from Japan.

For the artwork created exclusively for Kohler, Lakhiwal was inspired by the styles of the Kota (Rajasthan) and Kangra (Pahari) regions.

"This unique piece shows how art blends seamlessly with utility and renders a functional object that also serves to preserve age-old art forms," said the artist.

"India probably has the widest tradition of art and craft, so we thought it was time to invest in Indian traditions. The Quila is a beautiful product, one-of-a-kind, and certainly very different from what people expect to see in a bathroom," said Salil Sadanandan, President, Kohler, South Asia, Middle East and Sub-Saharan Africa.

"Collaborations like these are imperative today as they do not just put Indian art on the global map but also provide artisans with a platform to showcase their talent."

(L) Vinita Chaitanya; (R) The Inde-Rose Collection by Jaipur Rugs. Credit: Fabian Charuau

Like Kohler, a few other brands have a similar philosophy of promoting Indian art and artists through collaborations that help brand promotion and give a much-needed impetus to our artists and their art.

Carpet and rug brand Jaipur Rugs recently collaborated with interior designer Vinita Chaitanya for the Inde-Rose Collection collection of carpets.

"Vinita Chaitanya showcases Indian arts in her work," said Yogesh Chaudhary, Director at Jaipur Rugs. "She was passionately involved with the design process from concept to delivery. She has given our customers silks, traditional motifs, and a beautiful Indian story to take home. "

On the other hand, Vinita Chaitanya says that she doesn't get involved or approach brands for collaborations unless they recognise or appreciate her design and style.

"My collaboration with Jaipur Rugs was in the making for two years, and during this project, we sold the first two pieces to two of my clients during the making process itself," said Chaitanya.

(L) Artist Bandana Jain. (R) One of her creations for Raymond. Credit: Raymond

Award-winning contemporary artist and sustainable design expert Bandana Jain works extensively with environment-friendly materials like cartons. She is known for her unconventional art pieces designed for high-end residences, corporates, luxury hotels, and public spaces like airports and malls. She has had a series of collaborations with Raymond.

"It worked for me positively. Since I do unique work with cartons, it generates a lot of curiosity and creates great engagement," explains Jain.

For Raymond, artists willing to weave in the brand's philosophy with the necessary storytelling into their work to create unique and memorable visual experiences work well.

"With Sustainability as a core theme for us, working with artists like Bandana is perfect. For our 'Khadi by Raymond' campaign, centred around the keyword 'Hand Spun', Bandana brought in her expertise to craft the in-store branding elements and frames that were sustainable, handmade, unique and intricate. The campaign was a huge success," says Shradha Kurup, Head – Retail Marketing & Visual Merchandising, Raymond Ltd.

(Veenu Singh is a senior lifestyle journalist writing on food, fashion, travel and celebrities)