THE FIVE VIRTUES
Born from a desire to challenge established perceptions of heroism and virtue, the installation demonstrates how these transcend gender, culture and time. Here, curated furniture and objects reinterpret the enduring virtues of the Pandavas—central figures from the Mahabharata—through a feminist design lens. By moving beyond the masculine archetypes traditionally associated with the Pandavas, the showcase universalises these virtues of righteousness, strength, skill, harmony and wisdom, presenting them through contemporary and androgynous design expressions.
The Five Virtues is mounted on Valueline’s Neolith - Metropolitan Steeltouch Tile, while Alumil’s MS Profile serves as a literal aluminium window frame to view and contextualise the objects. The virtues of the five brothers are recontextualised and represented by the employed materials and finishes by FTS By Sharmilee: antique brass metallic lacquer and customised wallpaper (Yudhishthir); wood stained in black colour, black steel and yellow glass (Bheem); clear rippled class, liquid metal brass bronze, concrete paint finish, black marble and textured veneer (Arjun); Antique Bronze (Nakul); and upcycled wooden furniture and steel (Sahadev).
Participating Designers
Supraja Rao
Pavilion Curator
Supraja Rao is a distinguished architect, interior designer, art curator, and gallerist. She is the Principal of Design House by Supraja Rao and the Founder of Kadari Art Gallery. Her boundary pushing approach to creativity sets new benchmarks in design and art curation.
Shabnam Gupta
Designer
Shabnam’s passion for design led her to establish The Orange Lane in 2003, a studio offering holistic design solutions. With a talented team, she creates chic, artistic and eclectic interiors for private residences, corporate workspaces, hospitality, and retail projects in India and globally.
Swanzal Kak Kapoor
Designer
Swanzal is a practising architect,civic activist,songstress and closet philosopher who is passionate about design, ecology, music and a humanistic approach to life that serves the collective good.
Apoorva Shroff
Designer
Lyth Design, a boutique design atelier based in Mumbai, was established in 2022 and is led by Founder and Principal Architect, Apoorva Shroff. Making her foray as an entrepreneur with over two decades of experience, Shroff crafts innovative solutions in Architecture, Interior, Product, and Graphic Design.
Quirk Studio
Designer
Quirk Studio, a boutique interior design firm, was founded by Disha Bhavsar and Shivani Ajmera and has its roots in the confluence of design ideologies of the duo. Striving towards an ethos that shapes peoplecentric spaces and environments, Quirk Studio offers premium spatial and interior design solutions in the residential, commercial, hospitality and retail sectors.
Kanchan Puri
Lighting Designer
With an education in architecture and lighting design, Kanchan Puri, founder of KSA Lighting Designers, has shaped over 250 projects since 2005, earning repeat patronage for her expertise. She is passionate about heritage and has illuminated landmarks in India such as the Rajabai Tower, Ajanta Caves and David Sassoon Library. Redefining lighting as a design cornerstone, her portfolio spans commercial, hospitality, residential and institutional spaces.
