Through a looking glass

She may be the daughter-in-law of one of Mumbai's leading Marwari families but this privileged status does not seem to have affected Gayatri...

She may be the daughter-in-law of one of Mumbai8217;s leading Marwari families but this privileged status does not seem to have affected Gayatri Ruia. The wife of Atul Ruia of Phoenix Mills recently presented an exhibition of Murano works entitled The Sacred Prism8217;, at Coomeraswamy Hall in the Prince of Wales Museum.

A resident of Mumbai8217;s poshest address 8212; Ruia House, Malabar Hill 8212; she sat in the dingy hall all day, cool as cucumber. Dressed simply, she fielded all sorts of questions with patience and politeness. And even found time to talk to a lady who said, quot;This cannot be Murano glass as that is only available in Italy. And why are there so many Ganpatis?quot; Gayatri8217;s answer was modest. She said, quot;I have brought the Murano work from Italy so it is original. But I am sorry that the Ganpatis did not appeal to you.quot;

The 27-year-old was not hassled that someone had just run down the culmination of two year8217;s hard work. quot;Everyone is entitled to their own opinion,quot; she said. And, in any case, most peoplehave appreciated her efforts. This maturity, Gayatri believes, comes from working for the family business when she first got married, five years ago. quot;I threw the towel in soon, as I wanted to do something on my own,quot; says Gayatri. But the grounds for business had been set.

A student of Science from St Xavier8217;s College, where she met her husband, Gayatri was more interested in the shape of the test tube than the chemical reactions inside it. Incidentally, a burst test tube was how she met her husband 8212; with Chemistry in the air, they were fated to marry. So, Gayatri also trained as an interior designer and then began to look for an outlet.

And soon it became crystal clear. quot;I like glass, especially Murano. So, I thought of it with an Indian twist. Then, every holiday I went on, was routed through Venice,quot; she says. And she began to shop around for an artist.

Murano is one of the oldest glass-blowing traditions known. It began in Syria and travelled to Italy 8212; where it acquired its reputation. Mostof this glass work comes from the island of Murano, which is just a short boat ride from Venice. After much hunting on the island, Gayatri decided to use the Glassworks of Gino Cenedese and hand-picked an artist. quot;When I met Antonio Da Ros I knew that he was the one. If I did not know he was an artist I probably would have thought he was a saint. He is so gentle,quot; she says. Antonio8217;s knowledge of India was limited to Lord Ganesh and together they hit upon the idea of basing their joint venture on Ganpati in glass.

The idea of using Manjit Bawa sketches came a little later. quot;I liked his work and wanted to work with him too, so I thought of combining the two,quot; explains Gayatri. Out of the 30 works on display, eight are inspired by this Delhi-based artist8217;s sketches.

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For Gayatri, this glass factory has been the realisation of a dream and not a business, so, making money is not the issue. She hasn8217;t even decided if she is going to sell the works or keep them all. quot;I have not done my pricing yet,quot; she says.But these pieces will have to cover the cost of six trips to Venice 8212; that hikes the price to the unaffordable immediately. Right now, Gayatri just wants people to see her dream, which is why she is just exhibiting. She is not even sure if she will hold a second exhibition. quot;I will remain in the world of art and glass. And I want to learn how to blow glass,quot; she says.

That is if she finds the time. Gayatri has been designing clothes for friends, for a while, and she operates out of her family8217;s textile mill. She even has a collection on display at Delhi8217;s Ensemble store and hopes to retail in Mumbai, soon.

Back at home, when Gayatri is not working, chances are you will find her in the garden playing with her dog Ruckus 8212; also her husband8217;s nickname in college. Endless socialising is not her cup of tea. Before this exhibition not many people had heard of Gayatri, and she looks at her newfound fame as a job hazard. quot;I think now that it is all over, hopefully the media will forget me,quot; she says. Thismember of Mumbai8217;s jet-set is happiest under the light of a blow torch. Not for her the limelight 8212; that glare just blinds her.