Rooshad Shroff to host first exhibition of handmade furniture

Architect Rooshad Shroff and marble bulbs designed by him for 15,556. Pic/PradeepâÂu00c2u0080Âu00c2u0088Dhivar

Intent on making wood and marble behave uncharacteristically, Rooshad Shroff's first exhibition of handmade furniture is bound to draw your curiosity. Embroidered wood, mirrors with cracks like lightning bolts, and a chandelier made of marble bulbs - yes, you read all those right - are part of this exhibition presented by auction house Pundole's in Ballard Estate.

Shroff, a 35-year-old Mumbai-based architect and designer, is known about town for his work in the luxe interiors of Christian Lou-botin and the display windows of Hermès. On his return to India in 2011, after a decade-long study and practice in the USA, Shroff turned from the seduction of technology to the secrets of Indian crafts. "Once in India, I felt I had a unique access to indigenous crafts and began to research if I could design contemporary furniture that doesn't look ethnic," says Shroff.

Detail of the embroidery on wood. Pic/NevilleâÂu00c2u0080Âu00c2u0088Sukhia

The result: 35 pieces of handmade furniture, some exclusive and some limited edition, which blur the line between art and design. When we swing by Pundole's earlier this week, Shroff walks us through them, stressing on the fact that these are handmade. The title of the show, 15,556, is homage to the number of hours spent by him and 80-odd artisans to bring out this collection.

Two cantilevered chairs from Shroff's C-Series. Pic/NevilleâÂu00c2u0080Âu00c2u0088Sukhia

Showcasing traditional joineries, 15,556 eschews the use of metallic fixtures, nails, and nuts and bolts. This means that most pieces rely heavily on form, such as the C-series, a collection of cantilevered chairs. This also means that anyone can dismantle, with ease and care, these benches, loungers, screens and a day bed made out of recycled Burma teak. "The wood, which could be about a century old, is seasoned, having weathered expansion and contraction. That way, the joinery won't be affected," he says, adding, "I believe in slow production and certain things take time."

Two cantilevered chairs from Shroff's C-Series. Pic/NevilleâÂu00c2u0080Âu00c2u0088Sukhia

However, Shroff warns us that, as practical as he sounds, it is hardly the case with him. There's zardozi embroidery on the wooden seating furniture and a screen that uses French knots. The surfaces appear like spectrum charts or aerial maps, but Shroff tells us that he was, in fact, inspired by the cores of agates. If you are concerned that these high-end embroidered pieces (with prices on request) will bear the brunt of natural wear and tear, Shroff says that these can be redone, much in the manner of upholstery.

The highlight of the exhibition, an iteration of which was earlier shown at Bikaner House, New Delhi, is a chandelier of marble bulbs, sculpted by artisans from Jaipur. Shroff draws on the cuts of crystalware, such that these bulbs look like pristine Christmas ornaments. "We tested nearly 40 bulbs to get the thickness right for the marble to be translucent yet firm," he says. So, the distance that light can travel through marble for that soft glow - just 6 mm.

Shroff tells us that the pieces that he is most partial to in the collection are those that show the purity of form. No embellishment, no embroidery. Just Burma teak that bends and curves.

WHERE: Pundole's, Hamilton House, Ballard Estate
WHEN: Till July 12
CALL: 61146464
FREE