Expert from feature on Design Pataki
Contemporary artworks meet everyday objects at the Palimpsest House in Madurai. Earlier this year, beautiful heritage properties and mansions opened their doors to guests for the second edition of the Chettinad Heritage and Cultural Festival. This year, the festival extended its geographical reach and included programming in Madurai as well. In partnership with the Sumanth Ram Collective, Design Pataki co-hosted an art and design showcase that brought together talented designers from around the country working with material and design in interesting new ways. Set against the backdrop of the castle-like Palimpsest House– located on the banks of River Vaigai in Kochadai–the showcase took place marked the closing of the heritage festival. The showcase was one of the many elements that went into curating an unforgettable evening in Madurai.
It was a five-day event that took place from the 29th of September to the 5th of October and was hosted by the Chettinad Heritage and Cultural Trust instituted by the author Mrs Meenakshi Meyyapan. The festival showcased the rich heritage and traditions of the Chettinad region and allowed visitors to explore the town’s art, architecture, culture and cuisine through guided tours, cooking demonstrations at The Bangala, and Carnatic music performances and dance recitals by Leela Samson’s students. The festival was a harmonious blend of history, art, and flavours, making it an event that truly encapsulates the essence of Chettinad’s cultural legacy.
The evening saw various collaborations that the brand put together.
- Sumanth.co x Design Pataki
More than 20 works of artists from the length and breadth of the country were curated for a display in the different levels of the house. The display included installations such as light projections and Audio Visual art experiences.
List of Artists :
- Rhizome
- Arjun Rathi – Rural Modern glass
- FCC Art Prints
- Eina Ahluwalia
- Riddhi Mirabilis
- Yasanche
- Nama Home
- Cocoon carpets
- Shailesh Rajput
- Maha Mohan
- Eter collective
- Sumanth.co
- Prithivi M Samy
- Sumanth.co x Vichithra Rajasinghe
The collaboration put together a sit down four course meal for the guests. The theme briefed to Vichithra was Madurai Fusion cuisine ie) Madurai food with international cooking techniques.
Soup – Keerai poriyal with ricotta cheese Dimsum in Thakkali rasam
Appetizer - Brocolli Kara paniyaram and Kola Urundai.
Main - Bun parotta and Tofu stuffed with Madurai curry.
Dessert - Jigarthanda Tres leches
- Music by Dr. Brindha Manickavasakan (Vocal) ; HN Bhaskar (Violin) ; Vijay Natesan (Mridangam)
- Sumanth.co x MARP India
A special spacial curation with natural stone waste was put together to the guests to show how recycling and refurbishing is key in leading a sustainable lifestyle.
Products such as the charger plates, Garden lights, Stone granite knobs and Totem designed in collaboration with the sustainability partner was put for display.
- Event Programming :
- Satellite launch of “Art Mumbai” by Dinesh Vazirani ( Founder) and distribution of VIP passes. Art Mumbai is a art fair happening at the Mahalexmi racecourse in Mumbai between the 16th and 19th November.
- The launch of Sumanth.co. www.sumanth.co is a e commerce platform to collect, wear and build with a sense of sustainability for an aesthetic living. It works on three verticals – Create , Curate and Collaborate aiming to make everything that aligns with “Aesthetic living”. It is also a design platform that works from Madurai with love, putting the quaint old town on the global platform.
The website was launched and brought live on the very evening.
- Notable guests who attended the event :
- Leela Samson
- Arti and Atul kirloskar
- Sheila Lim
- Hari Thiyagarajan
- Abha Kaul
- Kalidas Swaminathan
- Esha Gupta
- Dinesh Vazirani
With stunning views of the city, two courtyards and its seamless harmony with nature, Palimpsest was like a living canvas of architecture, tranquillity and beauty. Sumanth Ram, the architect uses an Indo-Sri Lankan style that combines elements of history, sustainability, and design. For instance, the home uses a refurbished palace door from Hyderabad, which stands tall against a white lime-plastered wall. The floor of the house has been designed using colourful granite circles salvaged from the tombstones at Madurai Arkay Rock Produce or MARP India.
The showcase included brands like Rhizome by Rebecca Reubens, Floating Canvas Company by Rahul Singh Yadav, Shakti Swarup Sahu and Agam Mehta, Eina Ahluwalia, Black Cube by Sanya Malik, Arjun Rathi- Rural Modern Glass, Yasanche by Yashesh Virkar, Nama Home by Namit Khanna, Cocoon Fine Rugs by Ayush Kasilwal, Shailesh Rajput Studio, and artists like and Ajay Patil.
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