Title :

And there was Light!

Client :

Commissioned artwork for ‘The Crimped Roof House‘

Dimensions :

1500mm dia X 200mm depth

Medium :

Stainless Steel kinetic sculpture (with internal mechanical rotary device to enable rotating the object manually around its center)

Year :

2022

Fabricatior/Collaborator :

Studio Vinton, Kochi

Photographs :

Praveen Mohandas

Intended to be a part of a residential project designed by the us, this wall mounted kinetic sculpture was the product of innovative integration of conventional and cutting-edge metalwork techniques. The hidden rotary mechanical system, which was particularly machined, made, and fitted into the internal frame, give this kinetic artwork the ability to rotate when manually spun and brings it life. The kinetic aspect of this piece allows for a deeper physical connect while engaging with it, unlike many other pieces of art that you would encounter.

When in rotation, the duality apparent in its static condition vanishes to create a unified surface, giving this piece metaphorical significance. The surface gets clearer the more intense rotation you subject it to.

But beyond the object and its mechanical poetry is the story of its making. The clients had given us a free hand. We hadn’t discussed the design or the cost, nor did we share sketches or explain the mechanism. They simply trusted us. And sometimes, it’s in that kind of blind trust that something rare and magical finds shape. It happened here.

We collaborated with the brilliant team at Studio Vinton to make our idea technically sound. Shanvin Sixtous, who leads the studio, approached every challenge with enthusiasm and a generous openness to possibility. Together, we explored, tested, built, and rebuilt, making it as much a process of discovery as fabrication. We hammered and shaped the patterns and textures across the surface ourselves, working closely with the fabricators in their workshop. This was a hands-on act of making, not just designing. Every mark carries the weight of that effort.

Our friend and fellow architect Praveen Mohandas joined us through the process, documenting both the journey and the final piece. And the photographs of the work installed in The Crimped Roof House were captured by Shahul Shibili of Turtle Arts Photography, who framed it with a sensitivity that matched its spirit.

What began as an idea, unspoken and unseen, came to life through trust, collaboration, and many willing hands. That, more than anything, is what moves within this sculpture.