
The first thing that draws the eye is not the table, but the illusion.
A cluster of gleaming eggplants, rendered in hand-blown glass, sits in quiet defiance of expectation. Their obsidian skins catch and release light with liquid precision, each curve reflecting the gallery’s glow like a polished mirror.
At once familiar and uncanny, they transform the humble vegetable into an object of contemplation, poised somewhere between still life and sculpture.
This striking visual language sets the tone for “Playful Playfood – The José Lévy Collection” by Arttd’inox, a showcase that dissolves the boundaries between art, design and domestic ritual.
Unveiled at Bikaner House, the exhibition unfolds as a carefully choreographed sensory experience, where every object invites both admiration and curiosity.
At the centre of the dining tableau rises an elongated vase, erupting with asymmetrical botanical elements that feel organic yet deliberately composed.
27 Mar 2026 - Vol 04 | Issue 64
Riding the Dhurandhar Wave
Around it, a meticulously staged table blurs the line between functional design and collectible art. Handcrafted glassware, sculptural ceramics and jewel toned accents create a sense of surreal abundance.
Fruits appear scattered yet intentional, as if part of a narrative that is still unfolding.
The composition reflects a contemporary design language that elevates everyday rituals into curated visual experiences, intimate yet provocatively extravagant.
The collection is the result of a collaboration between José Lévy and Deepika Jindal, the Creative and Managing Director of Jindal Lifestyle and the driving force behind Arttd’inox.
Lévy, a Paris-based artist celebrated for his collaborations with Hermès, Perrotin and Carpenters Workshop Gallery, brings a distinctive sensibility that merges the poetic with the playful.
Their shared vision imagines a fantastical Indian banquet where objects transcend their utilitarian roles.
Stainless Steel, glass and organic forms come together in a dialogue that feels both global and deeply rooted. The aesthetic carries a subtle Franco-Japanese influence, yet it is unmistakably reinterpreted through an Indian lens.
In conversation, Lévy reflects on his process with disarming simplicity. Inspiration, he says, comes naturally from everyday objects and food items found in households.
His intention is to introduce a playful dimension that enhances luxury home decor without losing its sense of familiarity. His experience in India has left a lasting impression, particularly his fascination with Indian artists, with whom he hopes to collaborate in the future.
For Deepika Jindal, the collection represents something more foundational. It is an attempt to shift the perception of home decor from predictable design to something vibrant and expressive.
Her aim is to reposition stainless steel as a luxury material, a medium capable of storytelling rather than mere utility. Under the Arttd’inox label, she is steering a transformation that is as cultural as it is commercial.
This journey has been years in the making. Incorporated as a distinct entity in December 2020, Jindal Lifestyle traces its origins back to the early 2000s, when the Arttd’inox line was first introduced under JSL Lifestyle, a subsidiary of Jindal Stainless.
The transition from an industrial legacy to a premium lifestyle brand has defined its evolution, requiring both reinvention and conviction.
The exhibition extends beyond the dining table into a broader visual narrative. The glass eggplants rest on an intricately carved wooden plinth, its weathered texture offering a tactile counterpoint to the flawless sheen of glass.
Slender silvered vessels hold delicate purple thistles, their wiry stems injecting a sense of movement into the stillness. In the background, clusters of white pillar candles and lush vertical floral arrangements cast a warm glow that softens the metallic brilliance of the display.
This interplay between cold and warmth, between industrial precision and organic fragility, defines the atmosphere of the exhibition.
Elephants appear as fleeting reflections in polished steel surfaces. Vegetables assemble into sculptural characters. Everyday forms are elevated into poetic artefacts.
At its core, the collection remains anchored in Arttd’inox’s philosophy of Art in Stainless Steel. It is a philosophy that treats material not as limitation but as possibility.
Under Deepika Jindal’s vision, steel becomes both canvas and conduit, bridging Indian craftsmanship with global modernism.
What emerges is not merely a collection of objects, but a reimagining of space itself.
Interiors are transformed into surreal landscapes where dining becomes performance and the ordinary is rendered extraordinary. In this world, even the simplest of forms can carry the weight of elegance, and every object, no matter how familiar, holds the potential to surprise.