Genie in the bottle: Artist Bharti Kher forays into mirrors
Bharti Kher has followed in the footsteps of husband and leading artist Subodh Gupta in interpreting the Absolut bottle for the vodka brand`s iconic ad campaign.
|Last Updated: Dec 05, 2011, 02:25 PM IST|Source: Bureau
New Delhi: Contemporary artist Bharti Kher has followed in the footsteps of husband and leading artist Subodh Gupta in interpreting the Absolut bottle for the vodka brand`s iconic ad campaign.
Kher`s work titled "Absolut Kher"- a two dimensional six-ft tall bottle shaped mirror installation sporting a swirl of light and dark blue bindis pasted on it is the latest to
join a campaign that has featured prominent artists from across the world beginning with pop icon Andy Warhol.
"I think it is fun to be part of a campaign that has featured over the last 30 years artists like Andy Warhol. I think the Absolut campaign is absolutely unique because they are the only company to have collaborated with artists for so long," Kher told reporters before her work was unveled at a lounge here recently.
The England-born and raised Kher, now based in Delhi, uses the `bindi` as a metaphor for the third eye and its constant focus on perfection.
Kher had become India`s top-selling woman artist, when her fiberglass sprawled elephant sculpture "The Skin Speaks a Language Not its Own" dotted with bindis fetched Rs 6.9 crore (USD 1.5 million) at Sotheby`s London last year.
Bharti Kher says she was working for her next solo in Centre Pompidou, in which she has used mirrors, when she was casually talking to people and got approached to execute the Absolut installation.
"When you stand before the work you can look at your reflection inside it. It is like seeing youself inside the bottle... sort of like a genie in a bottle," says the artist.
It is said that Kher first saw a woman sporting a sperm like bindi and was so impressed that she bought the entire stock of bindis from the shop where the woman had purchased her bindis.
Subsequently, Kher whose works comprise sculpture installation and painting, retained the bindi as her trademark.
The artist`s husband Subodh Gupta has also featured in the Absolut art collection which has a portfolio of over 800 original collaborations, the first of which was commissioned from Andy Warhol in 1985.
Other celebrity contributors include Damien Hirst, Gianni Versace and Stella McCartney.
Gupta fashioned a collection of stainless steel kitchen utensils in the shape of a bottle earlier this year.
Previously, designer Manish Malhotra had been featured from the subcontinent for the ad campaign.
All of the iconic bottle designs are presently housed at the Museum of Wine and Spirits in Stockholm.
PTI
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.