Laalten, 2022, Makrana marble, 12" height x 6" width

‘Design meets function’ – was the basic tenet for this work. Indian marble work usually involves a lot of detailing. There’s inlay work and many other techniques to embellish. Of all marbles, Makrana is revered as the original go to marble for the royalty but it is a tricky medium which is not very porous or compatible with light transfer. After seeking out the required craftsmen already engaged in high quality marble works, it was a challenge, albeit a very interesting and satisfying one, to get them to change their traditional ways of embellishing the marble. The first step was to simplify the design for an object that has been a part of every household in the past and still a part of many rural ones even today. The laalten or lantern is a symbol of truth as it dispels the darkness (read ‘lies’). The work required the marble artisans to chisel out the block of marble to make space for a special holder and bulb combination. The wired lantern symbolises the coming together of modern simplified design with the skills of handling the marble with dexterity, confidence and comfort. The amalgamation brings the past, present and the future in one single object. With a flick of the switch the marble lights up from within showcasing and highlighting each vein and element of the seemingly flawless block of marble, specially sourced from Makrana and worked upon by the Makrana marble artisans. The thin marble wall needed to be just enough for the illumination to seep through, without compromising the stone’s integrity. Knowing how much is just enough is a matter of knowledge and experience leading to practice. The deft hands of the artisans crafted a specimen of wondrous beauty.