I vividly remember about 15 years ago, when Vikram Goyal and I used to work in Aircel’s offices in Gurugram. That’s why I entrusted him with the task of making me Bengali. mukuts Which were extended to about 8-9 feet. I also remember using a few dozen of their temple tops as accent pieces throughout the offices. I must preserve them now as they are ‘Vikram Goyal Heritage’.
, Video Credits: Production: Gayatri Menon
Vikram and I collaborate on almost all of our residential projects – not just on metal crafts, but on stonework and composite materials. We often bounce ideas off each other and discuss concepts and sketches to materialize, and then execute. I’ve bought some amazing limited edition and custom reposé panels from them, which are often key accent walls in my designs. The finishes are impeccable and that is very important. Now, with Vikram making his Milan debut – which is significant because he is the first Indian to show at Nilufer Gallery – as part of the Salone del Mobile, I spoke to him about his love for arts and crafts, his journey so far Conversed in , and his Italian experience.
Vinita Chaitanya
Vinita Chaitanya: [Let’s begin with] The bountiful world of Nilufer.
Vikram Goel: For all the galleries around the world I’ve noticed, some are more pure in the sense of design, like a carpenter’s workshop – like Todd Merrill Studio and Friedman Benda in New York. but nina yasher has always attracted me [founder of Milan’s Nilufar Gallery] Mostly because she has one foot in the past in terms of mid-century design, lighting and furniture, and rugs. His space is amazing and he himself is such an interesting personality. So, for me, Nilofer is the epitome of a design gallery.
Vinita Chaitanya: Also, at this point, it’s about getting recognized by the right people – people who appreciate art, rather than those who don’t know the intricacies of art or the artisans.
Vikram Goel: it’s my only regret that i’m not there [present] In Milan, because they will see pieces for their aesthetic and design value, but they will not appreciate the craft. Take, for example, the Thar console, where each part is made of 1,000 tiny parts, and each one is cut and beaten by hand, and then welded together by hand. It’s a painstaking process, and if one looks closely, they’ll know how it’s done. But the craft story that is in India’s DNA – that story has to be told.
Designs by Vikram Goyal at Nilufer Depot Gallery
, photo credit: Filippo Pincolini
Vinita Chaitanya: I’ll try and tell the tale when I see it. When you first launched Via Home, I remember walking into the store in Bombay and it was like a curated story with beautiful little pieces from different places. You just came back from New York after your banking career.
Vikram Goel: Yes. We started our curated store in Defense Colony, and then we moved to MG Road, and by that time, we had started dealing in brass. I used to collect beautiful Indian things from my travels to bring character to the space, to give historical context to our pieces.
Vinita Chaitanya: i miss your beauty Pichwai Panel. Then you turned to Brutality, Repsus, etc. Over the years, there has been a huge evolution in the kind of work you are producing.
The Twist of Archimedes on display at the Nilufer Depot gallery in Milan
Borobudur
Vikram Goel: 2024 will be our 20th year. We enjoyed India Modern, and then we moved into the Art Deco period, the Brutalist style, and this period of organic abstract forms, which were more minimalist in style. It all happened because the more I traveled— [and visited] Museums, flea markets and design studios – and the more I learned about design, the more it attracted me. We were also connecting with international artists and designers, so it was a natural evolution. Also with Repossess, it was interesting because we started with the tile panels before making the decorative panels, and now we’re back to the devotional, where there’s a pantheon of deities. It is a way to test the merit of the craftsmanship as it requires a high degree of refinement. Plus, there’s a huge market for it, so it allows us to finance other experiments.
Vinita Chaitanya: I also find you very spiritual. I know whenever you go out in India, you visit temples and shrines [explore its] architecture. You also study a lot; I have seen a beautiful collection of your books – with a mix of art, architecture, travel, philosophy.
Vikram Goel: In India, if you want to be a part of the world of design, you have to try and embrace different mediums. There is nothing I love more than reading about art and design, history, architecture and culture. From ceramics to ancient historical museums to contemporary art, we find inspiration in many things.
thar cabinet
geodesic
Vinita Chaitanya: I agree But at the same time, you are from Rajasthan. You were brought up in this old world scenario.
Vikram Goel: Yes, my mother’s family is from Rajasthan. I grew up in Delhi, which is very culturally rich. I have also traveled a lot in Rajasthan. My grandfather was very fond of art and artifacts and his house was full of antiques. Even my father was very fond of old books – art, design and architecture. When I was in engineering college, my room was the most ‘decorated’! There was always an awareness of the visual arts. It grew when I lived in Washington and New York, both places with many museums, and then Hong Kong. I was fortunate to have exposure to both Oriental and Occidental styles, apart from exposure to Indian arts.
ophidian console
brake geometry
Vinita Chaitanya: When we first started buying your large limited edition panels, you told me you wanted to keep them as art. We first acquired these beautiful Tree of Life panels. But then I saw this beautiful Balaji panel in your studio, and it was a wow moment. Now, you’ve advanced to dreamscapes filled with good luck charms. I don’t know if it’s post-pandemic or just the mindset of how we are in India: I think we’ve always been emotional and religious.
Vikram Goel: Everything has a story in India. You turn a corner and the tree has a story to tell. These myriad belief systems inspired me to create several pieces for the art fair based on faith. So, we have this dreamscape, which is based on a belief in good luck and fortune, and then the Good Fortune Tree with amulets and talismans. It was post-pandemic time, so we thought let’s create islands of prosperity and good luck – we really believe in it, much more so than the West.
Vinita Chaitanya: You did such a beautiful job related to India, but when you showed in Milan, you did very simple things. Here you have shown your minimalist pieces, brutalist pieces – they have gorgeous craft but not the big story of India.
Vikram Goel: Nina Yasher chose the pieces. Some from the India Modern collection, we have the Borobudur Table, the Archimedes’ Twist Console, which is a very dramatic sculptural piece. then he has these big scones [Braque’s Geometry] Which are made in cubist style with a lot of detail. They have also got cabinets from the Thar series and at Reposse, they have metal python – a more abstract and contemporary language. I don’t think Indian belief systems will resonate with international audiences.
Nina Yashar of Nilufer Gallery
Vinita Chaitanya: I love that she chose pieces that work in their spaces or design languages.
Vikram Goel: This is the first time they are showcasing a designer from India, and I hope there are many more. So, it makes sense that a collection is Indian in the way it is made, but not necessarily India-centric in terms of decor. But having said that, he took the table of Borobudur, which is very Asian.
Vinita Chaitanya: So, you should be thrilled that you ruined your banking life.
Vikram Goel: I still keep myself educated; I like to understand how economics, politics and business operate. So, I keep that part of me very much alive, spread across both the left and right sides of the brain.
Vinita Chaitanya: Art and finance, I think it’s wonderful.