For his latest collection for Maniera Gallery, which comprises a daybed, a console, a lamp, a bench, a folding screen and a series of chairs, Jain drew inspiration from local resources, traditional Indian crafts and ancient Egypt artefacts. And yet, there’s nothing retro or nostalgic about it, on the contrary, the designs are highly contemporary, as rather than referencing the aesthetics of the historical artefacts, the collection channels their level of sophistication and refinement through a modern design language.

The collection’s hand-made pieces may seem at first glance as simple designs but they are in fact the result of an intense research focused on humble materials and traditional techniques which allowed rudimentary materials like stone, brick and cow dung, which are not usually associated with furniture production, to be imbued with elegance and refinement. Complementing the collection’s material palette, textile, glass and Japanese washi paper further demonstrate the Studio’s great talent in material manipulation and exquisite craftsmanship as well as provide a subtle counterweight to the earthy materiality of stone, brick and cow dung. The Studio’s research has also brought about the use of natural pigments and lime to make frescos to further highlight Studio Mumbai’s celebrated ability to work with humble materials.