The collection
Tall straw-colored conical vase and wide conical basket, both straw-colored with handles.
2001

Vase and Fruit Basket, B.M. (Bell Metal)

Designed by
Satyendra Pakhalé (born 1967)
Material
Bronze
Produced by
Atelier Satyendra Pakhalé, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Dimensions
Vase: 27.2 x 16.7 x 15 cm; Basket: 12.5 x 29.2 x 29.2 cm

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, the Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection, 2011.168–169

First working in his native India as an industrial designer, Pakhalé moved to Europe in 1992 and set up his own practice in 1998. This vase and fruit basket reflect Pakhalé’s interest in the traditional forms and materials from his homeland, in this case, Indian woven baskets. He transformed the ancient handcrafted everyday objects by using a new material—bell metal, a mixture of copper and tin similar to bronze—and contemporary manufacturing technology to update the aesthetic in a more durable material.

These objects still reflect the simple forms of good design, but their curvy handles and horizontal lines add surprising interest.

The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, photo: Denis Farley.