Street Photography

Thursday 7 November 2013

Arts for India 2013

Snowy was in excited mood as Pandemonia selected the appropriate attire for tonights outing.

  Dressed, P& S, headed to Arts for India Diwali Celebration Exhibition and Auction, at The House of Diwali, at Kent House, Knightsbridge.

Exiting the cab Pandemonia checked Snowy's red collar and straightened out the bronze dress & the red accessories.

Meter high pillars, with real flames gushing out of metal earns, flanked them on the way in.

P&S felt a tad nervous having to navigate this flaming entrance, in high heels.



However mission accomplished and safely inside the magnificent kent House building, Snowy felt completely relaxed.

Even more so, when P&S were given an open armed welcome from the Chairman of AFI and well respected philanthropist Satish Kumar Modi.



  This greeting was followed by another cordial reception by Royce Angelo. Royce confessed to Snowy & Pandemonia. "I first carved out a name as events organiser for Weddings, no-a-days I'm focusing more high profile related events, such as this evenings gig.
Before Pandemonia could utter a word of praise, Royce thrust a glass of bubbly in to P's hand and was off, leaving P&S with a elegant blond bombshell with equally quietly spoken voice, so that neither P nor S got her name.





Moving further inside the venue, P&S met the unreserved and exuberant ladies, Sabina Sarikhani and Kalpana Shali.

Kalpana rocked up in a sari from Pakistan, one Snowy thought looked the business.



In the reception room, Pandemonia and Snowy met the Chairman's adorable wife Abha Modi, decked out the family jewels.

Snowy flipped out at Abha diamond and emerald bracelet, and dreamed of the day when he'd have a collar to match it.



Pandemonia clicked glasses at the bar with kind hearted Caroline Curtis.  Caroline whispered into Snowy's ear "I'm off to Delhi to see the 200 bears I have saved from Dancing with Bears".

Snowy shuddered at the thought of those poor creatures and counted his blessings, he's got good home.



Pandemonia next bar companions, were Kishore & Kiran Shah.
This couple embraced P&S and said "we've not got anything like you in India, your amazing".

Moving on, P&S headed to the stairs for the auction space.



On the stairway they met Svetlana, in a floor length fitted black dress with wide open lace panel running down the contours of her body.
A vision that sent Snowy's testosterone to outer-limits.



The auction room Snowy & Pandemonia entered, had a Alice in Wonderland red & white squared tiled dance floor.



Taking in the sights to, was Lalit Kumar Modi.
Lalit is listed in top 20 most influential person's in India and accompanying him was his son Ruchir.
Ruchir, told Pandemonia I'm studying business at University and enjoying it".
Snowy's estimation of Ruchir, was he's going to be a chip off the old block.
So watch this space.



As Pandemonia waiter eased his way over with to freshen up P bubbly.
Ciara Hurley-Stewart from Asprey London, bumped P by accident, with her Chanel bag.
Ciara explained to Pandemonia her reason for being her.
"I'm here because if any of the guests buy a piece from our displays tonight, a percentage will go to the charity".



From one fine jeweller seller, to a couple of customers, Fleur Platow & Mrs Abha Modi.
Fleur's exquisite small drop diamond earrings, were the subject of conversation with P.
"When I bought them my husband thought they looked like crystal" said Fleur.
Luckily for him Fleur knows her onions.



From two mates to three chums out on the town Atul Seth, Luissa Burton & George Jatania.
These three Snowy had seen arriving earlier and they joined Pandemonia & Snowy, for a drink a snap and then returned to eyeballing the Art.



Next up, Pandemonia and Snowy got to chatting with artist Christina Pierce and her son Oska Kolk.

Oska, told P&S "I'm a cricket obsessive and cajoled my mum into painting oil on canvas, the Indian cricketers, from Sachin Tendulkar, to Rahul Dravid to the Champions Trophy Winning Team 2013 on sale tonight".

Snowy spotted Oska later, flogging his mum The Art of Cricket Year book and Desk Diary for £24.95, with 10 percent of the sales going to AFI.



Having stood for an age Pandemonia and Snowy retreated to the sofa, and sat next to Marianne Advani.

Pandemonia and Snowy were humbled by Marianne after discovering all the incredible fundraising she does for children.



A lively spirit was introduced into the evening by Philippe Deneux & Kimberlery Robonson Ortiz.

Kimberlery let slip to Pandemonia "my life now is spent jetting between New York and London".

A sentence that had Snowy turning green with envy.



KR chat about her jet set lifestyle sent Pandemonia Snowy catapulting back to the sofa where they plonked down next to artist Aisha Caan.
Aisha informed P&S " I've given 2 of my oil and mixed media on canvas paintings for tonights charity cause"



Pandemonia and Snowy were again shaken out of their calm to join JP Morgan bank girls about town, Karislma Narsana Alia Nawaz. To listen to the formidable tones of Lord Jeffery Archer.

Jeffery was here to entice the guests into spend their wonger on the various items donated. So that for others less fortunate than themselves, can have a better life.

No Indian event would be complete without some dance.



Show over Pandemonia thought its getting way passed Snowy's bed time.
So they made a b-line for the stairs, where blocking their way was Axel Ienna accompanied by two arm candy female companions.

Axel divulged to P "London City Airport Jet Centre, has now become a walk through art gallery, it kicked off in July, with an exhibition of the work by Italian artist Carlo Gavazzeni Ricordi and you must come & see".



Pandemonia & Snowy, promised they would and side stepped Axel, to bid farewell to Karan Modi with his elegant wife Surbhi.
In the cab, Snowy communicated P it would be great to have Surbhi curate Pandemonia show, knowing Surbhi is a fellow artist and one with taste, if her exquisite sari from Delhi is a bench mark to go by……


photo/copy: Stephen Mahoney