Ma Belle

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.  

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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! 

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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