Sneha Sengupta for The Ideal Home and Garden covers the debut of Evoke and Kaash in Mumbai, brought together at 47-A by curator Srila Chatterjee.
In the heart of Girgaum’s Khotachi Wadi, a cobalt-blue bungalow tucked within Mumbai’s heritage lanes, craft becomes a catalyst. This August, 47-A, India’s pioneering design gallery—plays host to a compelling cultural riff: Kaash’s living archive from Bangalore meets Evoke’s soulful curation from London. It’s not a showcase; it’s a conversation across continents, materials, and memory; where metal, wood, leather, and weave carry stories that speak, question, and refuse to be forgotten.
The Collaborators:
Manju Sara Rajan, adviser at Kaash, describes the collaboration as a residency of sorts. “With Evoke and Kaash in residence together at 47-A, the personality of the gallery has completely shifted. It now carries a split character — part Evoke, part Kaash — and the moment you walk in, you sense this entirely new identity,” she says.
Alongside Manju, Sridhar Poddar, Evoke – the sister organisation of Kaash, the exhibition is a natural step in building cultural bridges. He says, “This collaboration represents a meeting of cultures from across the world. Many of our Mumbai clients are looking for fresh perspectives on craft, so bringing our pop-up to 47-A felt like the natural step,” he says. Among the highlights, Poddar points to Yoruba beadwork: “Eight years ago, my mother told me about beaded chairs from Nigeria, and searching for them set me on the path that became my career in craft collectibles.”
Jayashree’s Devi inspired lightboxes glow with layered divinity against a stark backdrop.
At the heart of it all is Srila Chatterjee, who has made 47-A Mumbai’s only design-dedicated gallery. For her, this isn’t just commerce but conviction. “KAASH and 47-A share a deep commitment to craft and design. We’re both trying to change the way people think about them,” she explains. “It’s much more than just selling, it’s about meeting the right people and creating conversations that matter
The Crafts on Display
The exhibition unfolds through textures and traditions. Bidriware brings the shimmer of silver against blackened metal; leather puppetry carries echoes of shadow plays from Andhra Pradesh; Chettinad strap weaving transforms everyday geometry into design; and woodwork, spanning South Asian and African traditions, carves continuities that feel both local and global.
Placed together, the pieces invite audiences to see craft as more than utility or ornament. “I hope people feel inspired to explore original ways of using craft, to move away from mass-produced design and truly value what it takes to create something special,” says Srila Chatterjee. “At 47-A, we want to ensure that every showcase goes deeper and wider than anywhere else.”
Srila hopes the show will encourage audiences to see craft with fresh eyes. “I want people to move away from the same-old and discover designs that feel exciting and original, not mass produced. At 47-A, our aim is to help audiences value what it takes to create something truly special — and to celebrate the people behind it,” she says. For her, the gallery is not just a venue, but a space for deeper, more meaningful encounters with design.
At 47-A, design isn’t just about beautiful objects, it’s about meaningful encounters. The gallery creates a space where craft feels alive, relevant, and deeply connected to our lives.
And that’s exactly why we at The Ideal Home and Garden love stories like this, because they remind us that design isn’t just about what fills a room, but about the conversations, traditions, and ideas that shape the way we live with craft today.
