By the hand

Looking for a storage chest to tidy up the clutter and look pretty? The Burning Candy range of hand-painted trunks is just the ticket. Retailed in New Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai, each trunk features pop art and is one-of-a-kind. If your heart sings for all things kitsch and yesteryear techni-colour, it’s time to look up Burning Candy, available online on burningcandy-blogged.blogspot.com. The Indian outfit, headed by Karamvir Arora, based out of Kolkata and Delhi, specialises in handpainted trunks and vintage posters. The quirky brand was launched in November last year. Plans to retail in Pondicherry, Pune, Kolkata and other cities are afoot. ‘‘Having worked with an advertising agency for five years, the most often used phrase we told our clients was ‘think out-of-the-box’. And finally when I did leave advertising, the only thought that I had when wandered aimlessly around India was to do just that,’’ Arora, the founder, tells us. The collection of hand painted storage boxes, which are sourced from across India, was introduced three months ago, with Arora heading the design conceptualisation, while a team of local artists across India execute the designs. ‘‘We use pop art as a theme, with lots of bright colours and quirky designs.’’Arora, 29, takes inspiration from wall graffiti, kitsch drawings outside public toilets, paintings on trucks and vintage posters. He quit his day job in an advertising firm and travelled around India, collecting art, drawings, old advertisements, posters and calendars printed between 1940-1970. He now indulges in photography, travelling and writing in his spare time. If you want a personalised trunk, mail Arora a picture and he will take it from there. Deliveries take a minimum of one week. Also on the anvil: kitschy cushions, clocks, bags, coasters, beer mugs and shot glasses. Priced between Rs 900 and Rs 3,500 for posters and handpainted storage boxes. Details: burningcandyblogged.blogspot.com.