Siliguri
What?
A sustainable interpretation of the coffee botanicals surrounded by the waves of the Mahananda River which plays a commanding role in Siliguri’s economy.
Size: 15 feet (W) x 3.5 feet (H) x 2.5 inches (D)
Location: Starbucks at City Center Mall, Siliguri, West Bengal
Why?
Inspired from the Mahandana river, this fluid artwork made in Stainless Steel, speaks the coffee story of Starbucks’ first store in Siliguri. The coffee botanicals are portrayed by the coffee berries and coffee leaves dexterously carved between the steel waves.
Recycled Plastic Fabric Sheets
In an attempt to upcycle the ever-growing heap of dumped plastic waste, we worked with an organisation in Gujarat providing livelihood to the local craft community to manually weave fabric from Waste Plastic using a traditional spindle and handloom.
5 kgs of LDPE plastics (polyethene bags) and MLP plastics (wrappers of Gifts, biscuits, cookies, old audio and video cassette tapes) was upcycled into fabric used as colorful accents in this dull gold steel sculpture.
Colour Palette
Process
This sculpture weighing close to 80 kgs, showcases the uninterrupted flow along with the fierceness of the river and the strength of the steel structure.
A recycled fabric made using waste plastic bags closely handcrafted on a loom are cut into strips and overlaid on the waves of steel “water” further accentuating the sculpture. This fabric is woven emulating the colors and weave of the famous Dhaka textile of Siliguri region. Dhaka textile is traditional hand made fabric of the indigenous people in the northern West Bengal & Nepal region.
Stainless steel was the perfect choice for the making of this sculpture to express the flow of water through its mouldable and malleable nature.
The main aim while constructing the artwork was the abstraction of symbolism and significance of coffee while blending together practicality with tradition.
The Display
