A & B (chairs), 2016marble, brick, rosewood, beeswax, coconut oilH 78 x L&D 49,5 cmlimited edition of 12 pieces for each chair, each numbered and signed in ‘brick studies’, studio mumbai explores the possibilities of adapting the universal, and now quite industrial, building material to a more intimate scale in the form of furniture. influenced by the traditional dry-stacked brick formwork used to construct arches or domes, bijoy jain pared them down to mini-bricks, true to scale, that were baked in the studio’s workshop. these have been glued to each other, shaping the backrest of the benches and chairs, following methods examined in building frames. the brick constructions are fixed to simple, unpretentious stools and benches that are made from robust rosewood and marble, both of which are often encountered within indian interiors. standing between models and functional objects, the ‘brick studies’ collection evokes a sense of fragility, despite the solidity of the mediums employed.
studio mumbai / bijoy jain utilized traditional materials and craft techniques to realize ‘maniera 06′ studio mumbai / bijoy jainbrick study III (bench), 2016teak, brick, melezin, beeswax, coconut oilH 78,5 x L 163,5 x D 53,5 cmlimited edition of 15 pieces, each numbered and signed the limited edition ‘maniera 06′ collection utilizes materials such as bamboo and brick ‘landscape studies’ are derived from observations made in the indian agrarian landscape. farmers use kaolin powder to define zones in the rural landscape for different activities—from resting under a tree to emphasizing the steps to climb a small hill. studio mumbai’s sculptural seating objects respond to these definitions, but when they are in use, the white lines remain very abstract in their appearance. built from paper maché, bitumen and cow dung, the pieces are treated with body wax and rubbed with coal to achieve a natural aesthetic; with one bearing white kaolin powder lines, rendering itself as sort of a scale model of the zonal demarcations in the rural terrain of india.
the process of making the ‘landscape studies’ pieces were a result of following the instincts of the craftsmen, rather than clear instructions given by the architect. neither has any clear geometry when added to a space, and with the addition of water, their surfaces can be changed in both color and texture, much like the landscapes they refer to. ‘landscape studies’ are derived from observations made in the indian agrarian landscapestudio mumbai / bijoy jainrush lounge chair, 2016rosewood, henna dye bimel tree bark rope, beeswax, coconut oilH 89 x L 56,5 x D 68 cmlimited edition of 15 pieces, each numbered and signed studio mumbai / bijoy jainlounge chair, 2016teak wood, lac dye bimel tree bark rope, beeswax, coconut oilH 91 x L 55,8 x D 78 cmserial edition studio mumbai / bijoy jaincharpai study I – large (daybed), 2016bamboo, shallac, tumeric, lac dye bimel tree bark ropeH 47 x L 186 x D 70 cm serial editions, each signed the relation to the reference object is almost literal in the ‘charpai studies’.
found in half of all indian homes, a charpai is a daybed made from a construction of light wood held together by tenon joints and cotton cords. predating the british era, it changed the way people lived their daily lives. as a furniture piece, it accompanies an individual from birth through marriage to death, and is easy to transport since the lightness of its framework means that even a child is able to carry it. studio mumbai re-introduces the traditional charpai with some minor changes, along with the addition of shellac wood treatment, in a way that was not to create a replica, but rather examine an existing object and continue working on it. studio mumbai / bijoy jaincharpai study II – small (daybed), 2016bamboo, shallac, tumeric, lac dye bimel tree bark ropeH 31,5 x L 122,5 x D 62 cmserial editions, each signed studio mumbai / bijoy jaincabinet (bookshelf), 2016marble, rosewood, beeswax, coconut oilH 200 x L 123,5 x D 48,5 cmlimited edition of 8 pieces, each numbered and signed studio mumbai / bijoy jaincabinet (bookshelf), 2016marble, rosewood
, beeswax, coconut oilH 200 x L 123,5 x D 48,5 cmlimited edition of 8 pieces, each numbered and signed studio mumbai / bijoy jainfolding chair, 2016rosewood, brass, beeswax, coconut oilH 73 x L 40 x D 49 cmserial edition, each signed studio mumbai / bijoy jainround table, 2016rosewood, beeswax, coconut oilH 75 x D 99 cmlimited edition of 12 pieces, each numbered and signed studio mumbai / bijoy jainillumination study I lamp, 2016bamboo, indian ink, niastari silk thread, gold leave, lac dye iri silk threadH 97 x L&D 84 cmunique the final series, makes reference to ‘tazia’—a ceremonial object that was a model of a monument carried on men’s shoulders in processions during muharram month in india, in remembrance of the martyred son of the prophet mohammed. typically made by local communities, they are constructions of natural materials which disintegrate when thrown down the river after the procession. these models of monumental buildings are made from bamboo sticks tied together with colored string, glued with river mud and clad in carved paper;