Art Scene India: festive decor

13 Oct 2017

Art in Interiors: Buying Art for the Festive Season

Fresh artworks can infuse a new life in your surroundings and add a creative flair to the décor

The festive season is a great time to renovate and redesign interiors and add finishing touches to the décor. A beautifully designed space is incomplete without good art. Paintings on the wall, sculptures and installations in open spaces, murals painted directly on wall surfaces, assemblages and tabletop sculptures among a host of other options offer multiple ways to individualize interiors and add that creative flair to the décor. The festive season is therefore a great time to buy art for display in your home and also as a gift for loved ones.

Buying Art for the Festive Season, Art in Interiors, Art Scene India, Image courtesy pixabay.com

When buying art, it is best to buy original art by well-known artists, which is not only a great investment but also adds class and personality to the décor. Buying fresh artworks can infuse a new life in your surroundings. Colours from the painting can be repeated or coordinated in the furnishings and even wall colours. And, one can actually decide on furniture, architectural details, for instance create wall niches to display art, flooring, drapes and other furnishing and accessories based on the art.

Also, art can be purchased as a basis for decorating interiors or selected according to the existing décor. For instance, when renovating, select an artwork which can provide a theme for the décor and can even help in choosing the décor style, for instance, ethnic, modern or eclectic, for that particular space or the entire home according to one’s preferences. Look for artworks which appeal to you and then evaluate the purchase based on the available space, wall surface, size and budget.

Commission an artist to do an artwork which is exactly to your specifications in terms of space, size, colours and subject. Discuss the concept and your requirements with the artist to chalk out a blueprint that matches perfectly. Paint an entire wall around a festive theme or paint a piece of furniture in multi coloured hues. It could be an abstract rendition or a work in pop art. There are immense possibilities when you work with an artist directly.

Folk art in vibrant hues is also a good option during the festive season; these are priced affordably and also explore traditional celebratory themes. Buy from galleries which promote folk art where you can purchase exclusive pieces, rather than mass produced images.

Display

To ensure the focus remains on the art piece, the space should be clutter free and the painting well lit. When putting up large paintings it is best to space them out. Save oversized paintings for large areas. Small paintings that reflect a theme or a colour scheme can be grouped on a wall; an odd number is visually more pleasing to the eye.

The wall surface and its size can also be used as a guide to select a set of paintings, for instance, paintings can be grouped vertically on a narrow strip of wall. In passages, more than one painting can be hung on the wall to create a visual diversion in a functional space that is unexciting by itself. Similarly, a set of small paintings in the kitchen is better than having a single large one.

Paintings are typically hung on walls, however, they can also be displayed on a floor easel, which is a great way to fill up spaces; it is especially useful when you don’t want to put nails in the wall. Smaller paintings can be displayed on tabletops with the help of small easels or can be rested against books.

Art can be accentuated with the help of ceiling-mounted spotlights or recessed lights as direct light can damage the paintings.

Published in Times of India, Bangalore
Images courtesy pixabay

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15 Sept 2017

Artistic Touch to Festive Decor

Adapting a décor which is constructed around traditional thematic elements is a great way to highlight rich ancient content in a visual format and to create an interesting and unusual décor

This month as the festivities continue, every day of Dussehra is celebrated with great joy and fervour. Rich in symbolism and with a specific cultural and religious connotation each day is associated with traditional rituals and is celebrated accordingly. The ninth and the tenth days of Dussehra are celebrated as Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadashmi. During the festivals, traditionally weapons were worshipped; however these days tools related to respective professions such as electronic gadgets are also worshipped. Goddess Saraswati as the symbol of knowledge, music and arts is offered prayers to invoke her blessings. The importance of celebrating these festivals in a traditional manner helps in emphasizing their significance and also in inculcating cultural values in the younger generation.

Artist Shraddha Rathi, Image courtesy Rupali & Gaurav Bhatia

During this occasion, traditional arts and crafts can be used in décor to create an ethnic ambience that enhances the festive spirit, as well. Mysore and Tanjore paintings and folk and tribal art with its symbolism associated with festivities are some of the artworks that enrich the environment. Look for traditional paintings that depict scenes from the epics and narrate mythological stories. Oleographs and prints of paintings by Raja Ravi Varma and his contemporaries depicting vignettes from mythological texts add a great interest to the décor in terms of rarity, beauty and traditional significance.

Adapting the décor by accessorising around traditional thematic elements is a great way to highlight rich ancient content in a visual format and to create interesting and unusual décors. Art based on mythology and legends adds to the visual narrative and its rendition can be either traditional or contemporary.

Image courtesy pixabay

For instance, many contemporary artists transcribe text from religious books and scriptures on their paintings and also sculptures and installations which can add an interesting dimension to the festive décor. Incidentally, a few artists also paint musicians on their canvas and create sculptures around musical themes. These can form the perfect accessories in the décor.

The significance of music, musical instruments and other symbols of fine arts, learning and knowledge is primary during Ayudha Pooja and Vijayadashmi. A creative display of musical instruments, especially vintage instruments which exhibit a fine craftsmanship make for an interesting addition in the décor. Antique wood and brass instruments are not only rare, but also exceptionally beautiful and must be displayed with care. These can form the focal point in the décor and can be exhibited on raised platforms or pedestals. Use appropriate and creative lighting fixtures to highlight the aesthetic elements and craftsmanship of rare artefacts.

Similarly, unusual and antique statuettes, figurines and silver and brassware emphasise ethnic nuances and contribute to a traditional look and can be used as part of the décor or as functional objects.

The writer is an art consultant and curator

Published in Times Property, Bangalore

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