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Lot Essay
In early 1990s, Abhishek and Radhika Poddar began to joke about how they were running out of wall space for their collection of art. It was from this jest that the idea to push their artist friends to experiment with new mediums like carpets, mirrors, saris and screens was born.
In 1991, Abhishek worked with Manjit Bawa to conceptualise a show of the artist’s work in precious metals. For this project, Bawa designed several pieces of gold jewellery set with precious stones, as well as a series of silver boxes embossed and perforated with images and patterns. The pieces realised from the artist’s designs were exhibited at Gallery Espace in New Delhi in 1994, along with his jewel-like miniature paintings.
The two sets of jewellery designs by Manjit Bawa from the Collection of Abhishek and Radhika Poddar (lots 112 and 113) illustrate how the artist challenged his unique figurative idiom, pushing it to take on new forms. In these designs, flying figures become brooches, birds and vegetables are transformed into pendants and earrings, and contortionist lions and parrots twist to form kadas or bangles.
In 1991, Abhishek worked with Manjit Bawa to conceptualise a show of the artist’s work in precious metals. For this project, Bawa designed several pieces of gold jewellery set with precious stones, as well as a series of silver boxes embossed and perforated with images and patterns. The pieces realised from the artist’s designs were exhibited at Gallery Espace in New Delhi in 1994, along with his jewel-like miniature paintings.
The two sets of jewellery designs by Manjit Bawa from the Collection of Abhishek and Radhika Poddar (lots 112 and 113) illustrate how the artist challenged his unique figurative idiom, pushing it to take on new forms. In these designs, flying figures become brooches, birds and vegetables are transformed into pendants and earrings, and contortionist lions and parrots twist to form kadas or bangles.