Vibrant Wall Art and Graffiti Dominate the Interiors of Bengaluru Eateries
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Wall art, graffiti, antique paintings, and showpieces dominate the decors of eateries in India’s tech hub, Bengaluru. Eateries in the city are often turning into canvasses for local and upcoming artists, who, in turn, are happy to have discovered a profitabVibrant Wall Art and Graffiti Dominate the Interiors of Bengaluru Eateries
Wall art, graffiti, antique paintings, and showpieces dominate the decors of eateries in India’s tech hub, Bengaluru. Eateries in the city are often turning into canvasses for local and upcoming artists, who, in turn, are happy to have discovered a profitable platform to display their installations, murals, and framed work. These artworks and paintings are not only creating a unique identity for these eateries, but they often provide a glimpse into the city’s history and culture, capturing the essence of Namma Bengaluru. To take the case of Church Street Social, the restaurant went through a complete reinvention last year, where, as reported by Economic Times, its “industrial look was replaced by an art-inspired decor complete with a massive hanging installation reflective of a swirling dervish, paintings, and sound-reactive installations.” Commenting on the revamped avatar, Managing director Riyaz Amlani said, “We have traditionally worked with architects and interior designers. This time, we wanted a fresh pair of eyes from a different discipline to reinvent our space.” Social’s fourth outlet in the city, located at Sarjapur is spread across 18,800 square feet and two floors. The Sarjapur Social is one of the biggest undertakings by the brand yet. Commenting on the decor of the place, Architectural Digest writes, “Sticking to its design ethos of minimal intervention, the newest outlet boasts of state-of-the-art sound system and holds on to souvenirs of times gone by to create maximum luxe feel!The spirit of art decor resonates throughout, with paintings adorning the walls, beautifully carved sculptures all around, and graceful arches drawing your attention to the ceiling.” Singkong at UB City, rebranded as Sriracha last year, has taken the art route as well. The focal wall of the revamped joint displays a hand-painted mural that illustrates iconic pan-Asian imagery with a contemporary twist. The artwork was commissioned to local artist duo Agni Janakiram and Gaurav Basu, who studied the eatery’s menu and incorporated elements like bowls and chopsticks into their frame. As per Janakiram, who has lapped up a few restaurant projects across India, “People love dining out which makes restaurants a good platform.” Commenting on the importance of including art in restaurant decor, Sriracha’s Chef Vikas Seth says, ‘’Art is a good conversation starter. It can also make a restaurant a landmark, as artwork cannot be replicated.” This trend of making art a part of an eatery’s ambience was started in the city by interior designer Payal Khanna, when she did the interiors of the Street Mama eatery drawing inspiration from the street art of London and Berlin. A firm believer in the idea that art should not be restricted to museums, Khanna engaged various local artists to make graffitis on the walls of the restaurant. Describing the place, Architectural Digest writes, “The grand sprawling interiors of Street Mama is symbolized with splashes of the Bengaluru street map artistically painted across the zone, a hand painted graffiti art of a double-headed crocodile, complemented by bright red and white upholstery, capsuled with old vintage street posters, among others.” Talking about this trend that is catching up fast with eateries in the city, Khanna says, “Bengaluru has a different vibe. People, especially techies, work hard and like to end their day by celebrating life. Art makes a place alive with unexpected and engaging visual imagery and keeps the restaurant-crew inspired too.” Echoes of Khanna’s words can be found in Bootlegger, a friendly neighborhood watering hole in Indira Nagar. Based on the concept of a speakeasy, Bootlegger offers relaxing conversations over different types ofbeers, ales, and lagers. Reflecting the mood of the place, the interiors are done in tasteful and understated wood-and-brick lined decor, marked with black and white wall art throughout the establishment. Other city-based eateries that have adopted the art route in their decor include Shizusan Shophouse & Bar, which collaborated with renowned artist Parbbonni Bhowmik for its artworks, and Blue Frog on Church Street, which is now collaborating with artist Vivek Aiyappa to paint a graffiti piece for its new music-inspired decor. Both Aiyappa and Bhowmik are based in Bengaluru. Art helps in building a sense of community, and as Akanksha Chaudhary of Azure Hospitality puts it, “restaurants must now feel like home, driven by community and sub-culture concepts.” https://www.blouinartinfo.com/ Founder: Louise Blouin Read more