Artistry in residence

Homes are turning to liveable, customised art steeped in nostalgia and creativity, writes Abhilasha Ojha

- Abhilasha Ojha

The living room of the Mumbai home

(Photo: Ashish Sahi/Courtesy: Noorein Kapoor Design)

On a warm day in Gurugram, Anjali Singh and Meeta Bedi are busy interacting with visitors at their workplace, Studio 102, amid colourful artworks in concrete, a largely unexplored medium in the creative universe, which the two have been trying to reimagine in unique ways.

More so now, given the shift they have noticed in the last couple of years in how people approach art.

People, they say, increasingly want them to create ‘‘liveable art’’, which the two define as ‘‘spaces where art is not just seen, but experienced in everyday life’’.

So, besides creating sculptural wall art, Singh and Bedi now experiment with console tables, mirrors, candle stands, tray tables, and so on — each customised to desire. It is a time-intensive process, one that involves mixing various materials and colour pigments developed after trial and error to significantly reduce the weight of the concrete. The two artists say they’re getting called by architects, interior designers, and leading hotel chains, besides individuals, to create such one-of-a-kind artworks.

Luxury is no longer just about paintings, sculptures, and limited-edition prints. It is also about creating art that feels lived-in and integrates into homes and high-end commercial spaces.