Artistic Explorations With Hanut Singh and Sanjay Garg

In India, jewellery goes hand in hand with textiles — the shade of zari and the colour of the threads on a sari influence the metal and stones that are worn with it, and vice versa. Delhi-based textile designer Sanjay Garg, founder of Raw Mango, and jewellery designer Hanut Singh, founder of his eponymous label, understand this. Both approach design dialectically — being neither minimalist nor maximalist. While Garg’s gaze recontextualises and draws inspiration from the visual topography of rural India, Singh looks towards the dense cultural legacy of his ancestors who hailed from the erstwhile princely state of Kapurthala in Punjab.

The second edition of Incandescent, a showcase of curated antiques from Garg’s personal collection and textiles from Raw Mango and jewels from Singh, opens to the public on August 6 at the Raw Mango boutique in Hyderabad, yet again in partnership with India Art Fair (IAF). Ahead of the event, Jaya Asokan, Fair Director, IAF, spoke to the designers about their growing interest in each other’s creative pursuits, collaborators and approach to retail.

Excerpts from the conversation…

Jaya Asokan (JA): How did you first learn about each other’s work?

Hanut Singh (HS): Sanjay knew my chacha (paternal uncle) and textile conservator Martand Singh and we have many friends in common — Mala [Malvika Singh, handloom advocate], Rakesh [Thakore, fashion designer] and….

Sanjay Garg (SG): Rahul [Jain, textile designer]!

HS: Yes, Rahul…so Sanjay came with this hallowed brilliance and I’ve known about him for a very long time.

SG: I remember something very vaguely. I was with Mapu [Martand Singh] in Mussoorie and of course we were all there to hear about his textile stories. I went there with Rahul and Mayank [Mansingh Kaul, textile curator] and we were staying there for three or four nights. But this time, Mapu was only talking about jewels and stones. I said, “What’s happening, Mapu?” and he replied, “I’m very interested in this area, my nephew is big-time into it, and I think he loves it. He’s very passionate.” That’s how I got to know about Hanut, actually, from Mapu. He used to tell us that he knew so much about this topic because of you.

HS: He was a genius, so he always deflected…

SG: That was my first memory and that’s how I got to know Hanut’s work. I don’t know if Hanut had started working at that time.

HS: I was just beginning to start [my practice].

JA: What led to the genesis of this partnership?

HS: Two years ago, our friend Maithili [Ahluwalia] suggested that we do a show together, Incandescent, which was a wonderful experience. It was seamless. I love Sanjay’s energy. We get along so well and just look at this beautiful space [pointing to the Raw Mango Lodhi Colony store]. And now, two-and-a-half years later, we’re presenting Incandescent 2.0 in Hyderabad. We are very excited about it because the synergy is real, it’s honest, and it’s filled with affection and fun.

SG: I would love to answer that question too. Maithili launched me in Mumbai at her store, Bungalow Eight. I know how Maithili works, and she knows how I do. We call each other perfectionists.

Other than that, I’ve always maintained that India has so many stories to tell. There’s no one India, as revealed through the sari — whether it is the wearing styles, the textiles or fashion. I think Hanut brings an India which is very original to him and a skill set that reflects where he’s come from, his past, his history…there’s a certain aesthetic which, according to me, we did lack in India at that moment.

JA: Hanut, tell us about your penchant for art, antiques and the past and how they factor into your designs.

HS: I’m obsessed with all of the above. They inform my world and therefore, my jewels.

JA: And what, according to both of you, are the shared interests of the Raw Mango client and the Hanut Singh client?

HS: I think they’re charismatic women who know their minds. They’re driven, smart, and have their own sense of style.

SG: I think of it as a shared aesthetic. I always say it really depends on how you look at the world and how the world decides to look at you. So the women are really aware of design and aesthetics, and they are aware of the finer skills. They’re discerning clientele. They know what skilled design is, and they are willing to pay for that….

HS: And it’s so complimentary! Jewels, clothes and art…. What could be more heady?

JA: As strong-minded aesthetes, what’s it like working together and juggling each other’s personal sensibilities?

HS: I don’t look at it as juggling sensibilities. We admire each other’s artistic endeavours and aesthetics. We also work with designer Isla Maria “Loulou” Van Damme, who has collaborated with me for over 20 years.

She’s a unifying force among us all. She understands me, my rhythm; Maithili, her rhythm; and Sanjay and his tastes and approach to work. It’s not by chance. There’s a lot of synchronicity, and each time we join hands, we do it even better than the last. We have created various universes of art, textiles, fashion, photography, jewels, plants, objects, and these have been expressions of beauty.

JA: I have a final question… Can you both elaborate on your approach to retail? Hanut, do you have any plans for opening a brick-and-mortar store?

HS: Absolutely not! I’ve always marched to the beat of my own drum — often against opposition and everybody’s advice. But I know how I can function best. I know how I can create best and I love my rhythm, and I love the way I am doing it for myself. I wouldn’t say it for everybody else, but it works for me.

SG: What do I say? I think…

JA: …you have some of the most beautiful stores in India…

SG: Thank you…while the whole world is online, I really care about experiences. And that’s why we host events at our stores. India Art Fair has been my biggest partner…we have hosted many events together, including book launches. These stores are a melting pot, a cultural hub, and that’s what I really enjoy about them. Retail is more than just selling things. We try to get like-minded people together — the common interest could be design or culture…or it could be a talk…

HS: Raw Mango manages to create a universe. Apart from the beautiful clothes and textiles, their curation of antiques is beautiful. Their stores give us a peek into Sanjay’s obsession with art and sculpture. And all of it is conjoined….