Bicycle Diaries

If you were to step into Kiddell Gallery at Sothebys in London,youd see on exhibit a curious collection of chairs made of bicycle parts at the Inspired By India show.

Written by RICHA BHATIA
June 15, 2009 02:21 AM IST

2 min read

If you were to step into Kiddell Gallery at Sothebys in London,youd see on exhibit a curious collection of chairs made of bicycle parts at the Inspired By India show. The designer is Gunjan Gupta,34,who runs a flagship store Wrap,in Delhi and was inspired by the Indian bicycle to create a funky recycling solution. Her other exhibit is called Dinner Stack,a sculpture in which she has given the traditional kitchen vessels a new twist.

The chairs,called Bicycle Thrones,(picture) hinge on the concept of deconstruction and ornamentation of bicycles. Gupta has taken scraps of old cycles such as seats,springs,carriers and pipes and incorporated them into chairs.

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I was inspired by the bicycle vendors who go from door to door selling their ware. I had been researching the subject since 2008,scouring the material from the scrap markets, says Gupta,who is currently in London for the exhibition. To accentuate the Indianess of her work,Gupta stacked sacks,durries and mattresses at the back of the chair to give it the appearance of a cycle carrier. She adds that she took care to ensure that the chairs were comfortable. The Thrones are made in a limited edition of 12 and pegged at Rs 2.75 lakh each.

Dinner Stack,on the other hand,is inspired by the cooking,serving and storing traditions of India. It comprises the two sculptural stacks of utensils made of silver and gold,and is titled for eating and serving. Unlike the Indian thaali,where vessels are placed horizontally,Gupta has stacked them one above the other.

I was inspired by the matka bhowai dance from India, says Gupta,who is presented by Gallery Seven Art Ltd.

She asserts that the dinner stacks are totally functional and begin at Rs 6 lakh onwards. The show has been curated by Janice Blackburn. The exhibition is on till June 16.