Tiny treasures, big stories: A peek into the curious objects that inspire these Indian artists
From brass bananas to antique surmedanis, five Indian artists share the collectables that inspire them
The ‘found’ object has always been a source of inspiration for art. Imbued with stories and memories of the past, there’s something so special about a little piece of nostalgia you can display on your corner table. And since no true artist is immune to the whimsical habit of collecting, we turned to a few of our favourites and asked: what are the objects that inspire you most?
Aanchal Malhotra, author of the evocative The Book of Everlasting Things, is a keeper. She guards relics from her family’s past, a collection born to battle the fear of forgetting. “I am both interested in objects as emblems of storytelling, but also for my personal mementoes,” she says. “There’s only one thing I collect specifically, and it started because I inherited one of my grandmother’s surmedanis from her, and then one of my grand-aunts. Ever since then, I have been on the hunt for them all over the world. That is, I think, my one conscious collection.”
She explains her fascination, saying, “The surmedani speaks to an era of femininity that, I think, we can only try to understand.. Beyond the physicality of the object, its incredible ability to sustain nostalgia through decades; when I touch it or when I look at it, I am reminded incredibly of these women. It takes me back to that time — the power of recall and memorability, so strong it is.”
{{/usCountry}}She explains her fascination, saying, “The surmedani speaks to an era of femininity that, I think, we can only try to understand.. Beyond the physicality of the object, its incredible ability to sustain nostalgia through decades; when I touch it or when I look at it, I am reminded incredibly of these women. It takes me back to that time — the power of recall and memorability, so strong it is.”
{{/usCountry}}For designer turned brass-fruit connoisseur Jenjum Gadi, memory takes the form of ripened metal sculptures. Hailing from Arunachal Pradesh, a verdant childhood stands at the crux of his most prized possessions: brass pears, bananas, and coconuts. “I come from a place where, when we were growing up, there was nothing. Nature was our playground. We only played with whatever was surrounding us, and in our village, every house had a small garden where they grew their vegetables, fruits and stuff. When the adults left the house and the kids were left behind, we spent our days in those gardens. It was safe, nostalgic,” he says with a smile.
But for textile maestro Anand Bhushan, safe is simply a word in a dictionary. “I am very committed to the things that I like. Every figurine I’ve collected comes with its own crazy story.” He’s referring to his ever-growing collection of rare and vintage dolls that come from every corner of the world. “I remember we were on a cruise in the Bahamas, and I saw these dolls. It was love at first sight. I literally jumped off the cruise just to get these wooden figurines—they’re called Bongo dolls. Everyone yelled, ‘You’re going to miss everything!’ but I stood my ground. I said, ‘I’m not leaving this island until I pick these dolls up.’”
For Ashiesh Shah of Atelier Ashiesh Shah, the act of collecting is quieter, almost meditative. “I collect instinctively. Sometimes it’s art, sometimes a piece of wood from a walk. Every piece tells a story,” he says. “A favourite would be the Tadao Ando drop bowl I picked up in New York — possibly from Yoshi Gallery. It’s quiet, precise, and deeply meditative. We just photographed it recently. It lives in my white cube home, surrounded by other collected pieces. It’s more than a souvenir—it’s a piece of design philosophy.”
And for expressive clay man Aman Khanna, the ambiguity of a trinket is what calls. “I collect small objects and quirky characters and scatter them around our house. It’s fun to create these tiny worlds that reflect our journeys. It’s like creating a miniature museum of our lives—no screens or cables, just plenty of dusting,” he says. “I collect miniatures, figurines, and objects that might make other people scratch their heads. Sometimes they’re handmade, sometimes they’re mass-produced, but they all have their own charm. There’s something compelling about travelling far and wide only to bring back a small piece that resonates. I love thinking about how these objects, once produced and collected, will probably shift from one person or place to another, like little nomads of nostalgia.”
Proof, perhaps, that meaning isn’t always made — it’s found.
