Mumbai based artist Sudarshan Shetty will be the first Indian artist to be commissioned for the next Rolls Royce Art Programme.

Sudarshan Shetty is one of the most renowned Indian artists of his generation and is acclaimed for his artistic practice, which includes enigmatic sculptural installations that reflect on urban contemporary life. He was recently appointed as Artistic Director of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale, which opens in December 2016.
Shetty’s new work will take the form of a two-channel film, anchored by two sculptures. The commission will be based on an Indian folk tale and is slated to be presented in Mumbai on 5 November 2016, alongside his existing ‘Flying Bus’ public art project at the Maker Maxity in Bandra-Kurla Complex, Mumbai. The new commission will then move to New Delhi.

The new commission will take inspiration from a popular South Indian folk tale that is an allegory for artistic expression and the importance of creativity. Two structures will represent the home and public space featured in the story, whilst the film will depict the tale of a husband and wife, at a moment when the wife envisions a story and a song from her breath whilst sleeping. The sculptures will represent key moments in the tale and will be rigorously handcrafted reflecting the art of craftsmanship. Shown across two screens, the film will convey a sense of unfolding time whilst exploring the narrative as it comes into the world through language and music.

The Rolls-Royce Art Programme was founded in celebration of the marque’s commitment to creating unique, rare and aesthetically powerful motor cars, which transcend the world of conveyance to become works of art themselves.

The iconic luxury car brand has a shared ethos with the world of art, each Rolls-Royce motor car is Bespoke, commissioned for its aesthetic power out of the finest materials, and has its own story to tell. Therefore, a common philosophy was found between the marque and the artist. Shetty’s work raises the questions about the moment in the creative process of when a story becomes a story and when a song becomes a song. His belief is that an artist carries a story and it is imperative for him to express it. Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, commented, “India is an important part of Rolls-Royce’s heritage and it gives us great pleasure that Sudarshan will weave Rolls-Royce into the thriving Indian arts scene.” The Rolls-Royce commission will enable Shetty to explore new dimensions of his work, including an in-depth exploration of new methods of filming. “It is a matter of privilege and also a challenge to create a new commission for Rolls-Royce and to be able to try to match its high standards. Through this new commission, I am seeking to find a meeting point between the innovation of Rolls-Royce and my own imagination as an artist,” said Shetty.  He presented a successful Art Talk in Sydney to coincide with the 20th Biennale of Sydney in March 2016 for the Rolls-Royce Art Programme.

He joins Emirati artist Mohammed Kazem as a member of the Rolls-Royce Art Programme for 2016. Kazem has been commissioned to create a sculpture for the Programme which will be presented in late 2016 alongside a Bespoke motor car that has been inspired by the new work.