Le Sutra – an art hotel explored

For mind, body and soul

AMINAH KHAN

Explore Indian art and philosophy amid material comforts at Le Sutra: the Indian art hotel in Mumbai.

 

An oasis of calm: Embark on a spiritual journey through India at Le Sutra

As you drift through the mystical world of Indian art and philosophy set amid the tranquil earthy mysticism and eroticism of Le Sutra, you’ll be transported to a time and place far away.

It’s an oasis of calm in stark contrast to the vibrant suburban west side of Mumbai with a bright orange mural on its outer wall that’s really hard to miss. The wall was painted and signed by Baz Luhrmann, the award winning director of “Romeo and Juliet” and “Moulin Rouge”, and the Australian artist Vincent Fantauzzo known for his portrait of the late Heath Ledger and Baz Luhrmann himself.

Once inside, it’s easy to forget that you’re in a city, surrounded by the pandemonium of fast cars, busy people, typical Mumbai chatter and a shopping district that lures residents to indulge in retail therapy.

Ascend the chakras

 

 

At Le Sutra, you’ll be drawn away from the mundane and material as you float in a sort of semi trance on a journey that begins in the lobby and continues as you ride up the elevator, ascending up the 7 ‘ chakras’ (the spiritual body’s energy centres located along the spine) to the pinnacle of peace. Everything here seems surreal, but that’s what makes the experience so unique.

Sutra in Sanskrit means ‘a thread that binds things together’ and Le Sutra is a place where art and philosophy are woven into a tapestry of Indianness framed for the wall of hospitality. A mind-body-soul communion in a place where art form, energy and inspiration are crafted into contemporary artwork that speaks of Indian mysticism is what Le Sutra is all about. Under an hour’s drive from Mumbai’s international airport and conveniently close to West Bandra’s colourful shopping area with plenty of posh pubs and restaurants the hotel is ideally located for the discerning traveller.

This 16-room boutique hotel will take you on a spiritual journey through India with the luxuries of personalised service and hotel amenities, features and facilities that make your stay in Mumbai both interesting and comfortable.

“With a tour of Le Sutra you can actually complete a spiritual or mystic learning of India, which is far more exciting than in an ashram; not that I’m competing with ashrams,” says Mr. Bajaj, the company’s director.

 

There’s something intriguing about climbing down the curving stairways and walking through the corridors with antique jaalilamps over head casting lacy shadows around you. There’s an aura waltzing through every chamber, every hallway here that takes you journeying back in time through Indian mythology.

The reception, where you start your journey through the pages of Indian philosophy, is a rendition of Kundalini, the coiled cosmic energy lying dormant at the base of the spine. This is the energy needed to ascend through the three gunas or levels of consciousness: Taamsic, ‘Raajsic’ and ‘Saatvic’, up the seven chakras (the energy centres on the vertical axis of the spiritual body) that appear in succession as you ride up in the lift to the top floor. The three gunas are the themes on which the art and design of the hotel are based with a floor devoted to each idea.

Each room is a contemporary personification of Ravana, Ashoka or Buddha or an embodiment of sensuality, love or purification and each offers a new experience and whispers a different secret. There’s Dyutta, the gambling room; the Kathak room that depicts the classical Indian dance form and 14 more uniquely decorated chambers here.

Art everywhere

 

 

Le Sutra is a hotel that is art with every detail in the room from the chair to the headboard coming together to tell an intriguing tale of India with an in-room interactive TV that lets you explore the subject in greater depth once your curiosity has been roused.“It appeals to you aesthetically, it tickles your mind and hopefully it’ll inspire your soul. I’m not saying this as a sales pitch but I would like you to experience it for yourself,” says Bajaj.

At Le Sutra you can immerse yourself in a world of art, without going to a museum and take a spiritual journey within yourself in air-conditioned comfort with the luxurious essentials of fresh linen, vivid colours and incense. You won’t find a pool or a spa here but you will find peace of mind and artistic soul food, some instantly visible and some a surprise that you stumble upon but every detail is a flicker that lights the way to spiritual awakening.

“I want to get your body and I know I’ll get your mind, but can I dig deeper than that? Can I go to that part of you which even you don’t know? Maybe your subconscious or your unconscious mind. Can I appeal to that, to those deeper sensibilities, or your spiritual being? Can I tickle that part of you and, if I can, do I have any competition in the world?” says Bajaj.

Times of India, 27 June 2010

http://www.lesutra.in

Essay on soceital progress and its influence on Art

Courtesy Monsoon Canvas 

It is interesting to observe how societal progress or change has affected artists and art through the ages.

The industrial revolution in the mid 19^th century was responsible for many innovations and inventions that influenced painting. One of the main influences was the improvement of quality and variety of paint itself.

Artists were previously restricted to painting in earthy colours, using minerals that were naturally available. However the advances in chemical pigments bought with it the ability to create varied colours and shades that were previously impossible. The new colors like cobalt blue, emerald green broadened the artist’s venue of expression.

Machinery also made it possible to grind minerals faster and in larger quantities, making life more convenient for the artists. Traditionally the artist had to grind the paint himself and then mix it with linseed oil. Paint making was part of every artist’s training. The commercialized version of paint used poppy oil as a binding agent which gave the painting a more textured look.

One of the biggest changes resulted from the invention of collapsible tin tube in 1840. This enabled the artists to move out of their studios and paint outdoors. The artist was able to recreate nature, without depending on vague impressions from his memory. The Impressionists took great advantage of this by introducing bright colors of the spectrum into their paintings and also depicting the effects of changing natural light. The impressionists like Manet, Monet started and ended their paintings outdoors, which was contrary to the then norm.

   

Claude Monet, 1872, Impression, soleil levant,Musee Marmottan

Industrial development also indirectly contributed to the increase in creativity of the artists, as his patronage from nobility and the Church dwindled. The artist now had the freedom to experiment and move away from the restrictions of commission work. Thus the birth of the various ‘isms’: fauvism, cubism, impressionism etc.

Over the years the building architectural style and purpose changed from grandeur to more practical structures that could house assembly lines and the working class. These vertical structures changed the way man understood shapes and also influenced the artists.  Sculptors were equally influenced by the architecture and also the new materials that were used at the time like metal, new technology like welding and new forms and shapes.

With the advent of photography, mass media (print and television), motion pictures, the artist’s perception of image, time and space changed. The new mediums of capturing still and moving images compelled artists to use innovative techniques to attract an audience towards the fine-arts. There was no point in competing with technology, so they chose to innovate. This fact combined with increasing psychological awareness, helped artists to gradually move away from reproducing actual images to depicting a more abstract sense of the reality they experienced. Artists also started thinking in terms of mass and movement rather than a static likeness.

Pop-Artists in the 50s and 60s were inspired by the consumerism in society. Inspiration and themes were derived from everyday objects of commercialization like the new neon signs, television and hoarding advertisements. Andy Warhol’s “100 Campbell’s soup cans” is one of the best examples of this trend. Roy Lichtenstein another Pop artist preferred to create art works based on comic strip imagery subtlety mocking its influence on the American culture.

100 Campbells’ Soup Cans, 1962 By Andy Warhol

The later part of the 20^th century saw artists racing to be unique and original and not merely novel. Major developments like moon landing, science fiction, women’s lib movement, etc played an important role in expanding people’s imagination and outlook. Since the public’s imagination was way beyond what it was years ago, the artist was forced to work harder to create a novel experience for the public. All these influences had a huge impact on the themes artists worked on.

With the advent of computer and electronic imagery, a new genre of art called electronic art, came into being, examples being new media art, interactive art, video art etc. Computers have enabled artists to create images and art works with lesser effort but with unimaginable levels of creativity. With the help of computers, graphic software and the internet, it has become possible to experiment with art more rapidly and imaginatively. The rule of this genre of art dictates novelty, innovation and extreme imagination.

There are surely many more influences that could be mentioned and in future, there is sure to be a lot more influences that determine trends, style and the course of art. But one thing is for sure, artists will never stop imbibing form the environment around them.