18 September,2011 04:30 AM IST | | Yolande D'Mello
NRI Nisha John was appalled at the cliches that Indian art was associated with in London. She decided to start an online shop of all things good and desi
Most people think all Indian art and design includes henna art, antiques or the usual mango motif," laughs Nisha John, a London resident of Indian origin. John moved to London in 2005 after growing up in cities across India.
At Rs 740, Bengaluru graphic artist Jayesh Sivan's Auto Flip Flops are
hand painted by Sivan himself and inspired by his travels around India.
"I come from a Naval family, so we moved around a lot," says John adding, "There's budding talent in the contemporary Indian art scene. I felt I needed to set the record straight. That's how Of Indian Origin was born," says John, who has a Commerce background but has dabbled in fashion and interior design.
While Of Indian Origin's website launched last year, and featured artists from around the world with Indian influences in their work, the e-commerce aspect was kicked off in July 2011.
The online store provides separate prices for patrons from India, UK and the rest of the world, since their pool of artists are located around the globe. According to the website, they feature 'artists and designers linked to India by body, mind or soul' and don't just cater to NRI buyers clinging to their jholas.
Products include paintings, clothing, jewellery, photo prints, graphic prints, toys and home decor items. With a team of more than 30 artists, Of Indian Origins is a proud seller of the made-by-Indians tag and even encourages student projects.
www.ofindianorigin.co.uk/shop
