When Lekha Is Also Known As Shilpi By Girish Bajaj I remember meeting the adorable intellect creative Lekha Washington at the SAFFRONART TRAVEL AND LEISURE AUCTION preview in Jul 2013, was very impressed, multi-talented, actress, artist, designer, wowww. Lekha has been very famously acknowledged with the art world, with interior designers, of course the film world, as she is a famous South Indian actress. Lekha generally means Writings or Picture, and she does resonate the meaning, talented and creative in acting and in arts and inspired by the beauties of the universe, the solar system, nature and everything mystical about it, wanting to explore the depths of the enchanted universe, not by being an astronaut, but Lekha and now as I say, also known as Shilpi. She has been very constructive in her thought process from age 16yrs, about art and expressing art with her hands, the narration has been about concepts which are functional, blending contemporary designs, surrealism or an abstract way to narrate, as she had her first exhibition when she was 18yrs. She did a post-graduate degree in lifestyle product design and Masters in film direction from the National Institute of Design, enforced her own determination into the art and film world, with the power of her beloved imagination & passionate quality. Lekha is an avant-garde design creator. Lekha held a very special exclusive preview show with Sakshi Salon at Gauri Khan Interiors, titled 'The Nature of Things'. Lekha said, "Our relationship with what we consider to be nature is a complicated one, yet one that is hard-wired into the core of who we are and what gives us joy. Plastic toys are the closest some children get to interacting with animals, ocean sounds limited to soothers played at night. The Nature of Things explores the current state of our relationships with nature, and its relationship with us."
The event was not only about art, but of famous personalities and celebs attending, a wine tasting was arranged by FINE WINES N MORE, to taste Fratelli wines with cheese. A pop up concept of Fratelli wines was created, with five wines that were showcased for tasting, Fratelli Shiraz Rosé, MTB Torrontes, Cintila Fernao Pires White, Fratelli Sangiovese and Fratelli Cabernet Franc Shiraz. I started with the MTB Torrontes, just perfect to start for the art soiree, fresh taste, floral and tropical fruit notes, as you take a sip, joy and refreshing feel while I viewed the first art work, Alone Diptych. This art installation, a 3d format is all about your imagination going wild and crazy, incredibly chaotic, with touch of humour, repeatedly ridiculous, as an exhilarated androgynous at the centre of attraction is surrounded by the four quadrant multi-layered madhouse where T-Rexes play pianos and babies wield guns, floating ducks are served for dessert and cats escape on floating rafters. Just as one would like to be seen in a parallel universe, there is a vast acre-edge of space, enough to fill a lifetime. Sometimes one does not know which is better, or worse, being your imaginative wild character in this parallel world would be better as against the realistic world one lives in. Certainly, I felt, this art work unlocking my certain fun and wild imagination in my mind, my thoughts, being overjoyed of that parallel world, as a character I wish to be, as it was time to switch to the Fratelli Shiraz Rosé and taste the pepper cheese, to make it more enticing. By this time some very well known personalities from the media/entertainment world arrived, musician couple Vishal and Rekha Bhardwaj, Rajesh Kejriwal - Founder CEO, Kyoorius Group, Monica Dogra - singer, author Chetan Bhagat and wife Anusha. Wow this is a great art event. Mr. Chetan Bhagat and wife Anusha Rajesh Kejriwal, Founder CEO, Kyoorius Group I love Rosé, and Fratelli Shiraz Rosé is excellent, the colour, aroma, one can have the entire bottle during the art preview, such as this, you get engrossed in the art works, conversing with friends and the artist, what a beautiful art world we live in, and to make it better, Fratelli wines. Fratelli Shiraz Rosé is pinkish gold in colour, as you sip it, it bursts with fruity tones of cherries, plums & strawberries, so vivacious with great acidity as I am staring at the installation, Up, a metal leaves installation, An autumn of leaves, a dying dance, yet finally free in the wind.
As autumn sets in, the green leaf colour takes on various shades of red, yellow, orange and brown, during a few weeks in the autumn season, a transition of nature. GB Bajaj with Up As I continue with the Rosé, the next art work is the Thanksgiving Thanksgiving With industrialization and urbanization, Humans have with them urban decay that surrounds them, sense of almost poetic beauty in chaos has been sacrificed with composition in madness. The Thanksgiving artwork is wake up call for us Humans, and at this time the mystical enchanting Gauri Khan embraced the show as she mingled with Lekha and Geetha Mehra of Sakshi Gallery and her other guests. Gauri Khan, Lekha Washington, Geetha Mehra of Sakshi Gallery GB Bajaj, Lekha Washington Gauri Khan
As the evening was more star power packed, I moved to red wine and chose the Fratelli Cabernet Franc Shiraz. This medium dark red in colour, love this red shade, medium body, as you take a sip, rich in berries, dark plum, hints of vanilla, tinge of spiciness, could be the black pepper, very elegant and smooth wine. The next artwork was quiet intriguing, interesting too, Progress. Progress From the artwork, it clearly denotes, herd of animals moving towards a common location in a stoicism manner, possibly similar to Noah's Ark. A very inquisitive art installation or sculpture, was the called the Calling. Calling This is the best example of surrealist object, one remembers the lobster phone by Salvador Dali, calling is playful and an art object, which could reveal the secrets of the sea, soothe your mind and keep it calm, relaxed. Having red wine, there was this one very prominent art piece, called the Dot, which was even exhibited, when I first met Lekha. It is the Dot, which got Lekha famous and known by the true luxury connoisseurs. Lekha Washington (L) with Gauri Khan (R)
Lekha was attired in a bright orange outfit by Nachiket Barve, matching the colour of The Dot, crimson red, one of the most prominent, inquisitive and dramatic artwork of the show, very iconic, exuding out high energy and spreading the energy into the room, like the Sun. The Dot is form of a simple sculpted chair, placed on the wall like a painting, a conversation piece. The entire focus of the room and conversation becomes the Dot, fabricated with lightweight steel, can be moved anywhere in the house or office. As all clamoured, trying to be seated, so ergonomic and very comfortable with contoured foam backing to allow back support and fully supported inbuilt cushion seat, plush, I continued with the red wine. Lekha Washington with GB Bajaj Vito Dell Erba with Radhakrishnan Nair Other well known high stature guests present were Sharmistha Ray, Vito Dell Erba, Radhakrishan Nair, Suresh Venkat, Pablo Chaterji, Priyanka Manikeri, Surabhi Popli, and Piyush Raj amongst others. The artist founded Ajji in 2013, the odd product company, named after her grandmother, a tiny organization with big dreams started by Lekha Washington, a product designer, sculptor, actor and teller of silly stories. A product worth making, we believe, is not merely a decoration of an old concept, but an original approach to a situation, seen through to its best possible conclusion. It s a great idea delivered. FineWinesnMore Tasting Room, is a revolutionary concept tailored to augment the Indian wine culture, witnessing a co-influence of great wine, tutored tastings and themed events providing guests with an opulent wine experience.