Miniatures
Two Cups Apart – Chai
Two Cups Apart is my first and current conceptual work as part of my studies at Kunsthochschule für Medien, Köln. It is a two-part installation reflecting on the social spaces of contemporary India, everyday dialogue and discourse and the pauses in quickly moving lives. The first piece, as shown here, captures the humble roadside tea stall or chai tapri.
Exhibited: Lempertz Kunsthaus vitrine, Köln 2026 as part of Urban stage
The Concept and Moodboard
Although this is a space deeply familiar, memory often softens or overlooks the smaller details that quietly shape a place. To reconstruct it faithfully, I turned to multiple references, searching for the textures, objects, and imperfections that make the space feel lived in, familiar, and real.
The Build and Development
The structure was built from wooden sheets, then painted, textured, and distressed before being placed within the diorama of aged plastered walls. From the milk-stained kettle and pots to the tea strainer, plastic jars, and tea cups, each detail was slowly handcrafted to reflect the character of the space. The lighting circuit was incorporated in the final stage.
Urban Stage x Lempertz Kunsthaus
The humble street-side chai shop.
It is an informal and open space where conversations from life and work to politics and just passing moments flow. It is accessible, habitual, and deeply embedded in daily routines. A quick pause for a warm cup of tea, a smoke, a lunch or even the daily news.
Open to all.
But is it really?
Are you welcome here? Or more importantly, are you comfortable?
Exhibited at the vitrine of Kunsthaus Lempertz in Koln.
Image Gallery
The second part of the installation is, in contrast, the café that mirrors many of these social functions but operates within a different economic and cultural framework shaped by aspiration and global influence. Though both spaces respond to the same human need for connection and pause, they exist on separate social planes, divided by class.
