By Deepti Khanna
Photography: Courtesy
Mukul Goyal
Ma Belle |
This 11-feet tall sculpted bell-woman is a democratic object for public
consumption, created to establish an emotional connect with the audience…
Gurgaon-based product designer Mukul Goyal is a household name for the
design-conscious aesthetically inclined. After years of working in the small
format (his repertoire comprises mainly of table-tops and other functional
lifestyle products), the designer, in a bid to explore the ultimate personal
freedom, has sculpted a 350kg., 11-feet tall public sculpture, close on the
heels of its maquette-like miniature that won him the best designer award in
2011.
The miniature Ma Belle |
“The idea of having a product that would be placed in a shared space and
enjoyed by a larger audience intrigued me,” says Mukul, who treated the
personal foray as a committed assignment and finished it in a flat 180 days.
His passion, fuelled by the fact that this would be a democratic art object
that would be equally interactive with anyone from ages 5 to 60; as the large
motherly woman figure, when gently pushed, makes a
pleasant ringing sound.
.
Patina-finished Ma Belle |
Patina-finished Ma Belle |
Ma Belle is mounted on a base of 6
ft. by 6 ft., sculpted of cast brass, finished with patina, and up held on a
stainless steel frame, which incidentally is now being clad with teak wood to
preserve the earthy touch. In line with his signature style, with a narrative
integral to the product; as usual, Mukul pushes his boundaries of technique,
material and sensorial experience. “The thought process cannot be quantified,”
he says, “Although the challenge was bigger, time-bound, and with a unique rush
of adrenaline; the high point being that throughout
the project, I never knew whether the product would ring in the first place!”
First public interaction |
Emotional connect and usability are two parameters that motivate Mukul’s
ideation. His
inspirations are drawn from everyday life and his designs are a blend of
traditional materials with contemporary expression, uncomplicated yet exuberant
- a simple story, but always told with a twist!
Ma Belle was
first unveiled in January 2013 at a design exhibition in Delhi, where it
garnered extensive public interaction. It is now headed to Mussoorie to be
installed in an upcoming seven-star hospitality property.
Mukul Goyal |
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