City based artist Neha Agarwala has conceptualised her own brand Kaia, through which she intends to channelise her interest for curating everything artistic and aesthetic. An amateur painter herself, Neha’s latest venture recently took its first baby step at Mandarin, Taj Bengal as she unveiled her first collaboration with Delhi based jewellery house Apala by Sumit Sawhney. Celebrities like Moon Moon Sen and Raima Sen were there to grace the occasion. We catch up with Neha to understand her vision and planning for Kaia.
How did you shape Kaia?
I have always been involved with crafty stuff and hold a keen interest in flowers. Since time immemorial I have found myself trying to make any occasion at home large and big. This interest slowly evolved into wanting to collaborate with artists, chefs, designers and more to host unique experiences for the city people.
What designers have you worked with till date?
My collaboration with Sumit Sawhney’s Apala was the first event hosted by Kaia, and I look forward to expanding my horizons by not just working with designers, but chefs, and children oriented artists.
What sort of designers interests you?
To be very honest with labels like Ogaan and Elahe coming to the city, I wish to bring in more and more designers to the city of joy as I believe the city needs something new and different, and if offered in the right way, they will accept with open arms.
What made you name your event curating brand Kaia?
I wanted my brand to reflect who I am in real life. Since I am someone who loves to stay close to the roots, Kaia was the perfect choice as it means pure in Greek. My zodiac sign happens to be Virgo as well; hence I always feel the urge to connect to things that resonate with whatever I am feeling deep in my heart. Kaia reflects my idea extremely well as it stays pure to the idea of art and aesthetics by taking in every aspect of it under its umbrella.
Do you wish to explore spaces with each consecutive event as well?
Yes, of course. Each of my events will shift spaces as per its requirements. For example, for a culinary event I would prefer to curate it outdoors while a jewellery exhibition needs to be conducted in confined spaces due to security reasons.
How frequently do you wish to host the events?
I would conduct a maximum of four events each year, with a gap of at least three months to not make it monotonous. This is also a reason why I wish to explore different kinds of interactive experiences.