Two new collections of rugs and lights play up minimalist designs to celebrate 100 years of the modernist movement from Germany
From architectural tours in Israel to a design exhibition in Denmark and a lantern festival in Japan, countries around the world have organised diverse events this year to celebrate 100 years of Bauhaus, one of the most influential art and design movements of the 20th century. Most recently, and closer home, designers Ayush Choudhary and Arjun Rathi brought its concepts to life in their latest collections of rugs and lights, unveiled at a collaborative show in Mumbai a few weeks ago.
Following symmetry
Geometric patterns, a palette of primary colours and the philosophy of ‘form follows function’ are some of the hallmarks of the Bauhaus movement, which stems from the eponymous German art school founded by Berlin-born architect Walter Gropius in 1919. “The idea of Bauhaus was to simplify design so that it reached the masses. It continues to inspire because of this simplicity,” says Choudhary, designer and founder of Cocoon Fine Rugs, with stores in Mumbai, Bengaluru, Jaipur and Kolkata. The rug collection has about 15 designs featuring chequered prints, symmetrical lines and maze-like patterns.
Rathi, meanwhile, explores the Bauhaus aspect of using industrial processes and minimal forms to create mass-produced furniture. His collection comprises seven futuristic designs, including an L-shaped light inspired by a reading lamp and a J-shaped one that can cosily fit in a small space. “After First World War, housing in Europe was in crisis and people had smaller homes. So, they wanted furniture with sleek designs rather than the heavy, wooden ones that were the norm. I’ve followed this aesthetic and made the entire collection modular, too,” says Rathi, the principal of the self-named, Mumbai-based multidisciplinary design practice.
Primary instincts
While the products complement each other, their association was a coincidence. The duo had hit it off at an event a few months ago and decided to collaborate in future. When they reconnected a couple of months back, they realised that both were working on a similar theme. “We were celebrating the Bauhaus in our heads. So, we decided to do a showcase together,” says Choudhary, adding, “While we didn’t interact during the making process, Bauhaus has a strong signature that jumps out in both our collections and so, there’s harmony.”
They’ve paid equal attention to colours and materials. Rathi has used steel and hand-blown glass in the lights to create a sense of uniformity. He has also used green, and textured silver and copper “which were the finishes created at that time”. The rugs are made in hand-carded wool with natural, hand-spun silk accents. Choudhary says, “We’ve used primary colours, but toned them down by 50% to make the pieces look more elegant and sophisticated. Today’s designer homes don’t prefer the strong, contrasting colours that were seen in the original movement.”
The Cocoon Fine Rugs Bauhaus collection starts from ₹65,000, while the lights by Arjun Rathi Design range from ₹18,000 to ₹3,90,000.
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