Almost everything in sight, including the wooden wicker chairs and bamboo lamps lighting up the room, are works carefully sourced from a collective of artists and artisans from across Sikkim. The collective features Sikkimese artists from different genres – potters, weavers, painters, photographers, handbag designers and jewellers – who hero traditional aspects in a modern way and have a positive impact on marginalized communities. Rinzing Choden Bhutia’s natural skincare brand Agapi Sikkim highlights indigenous ingredients and is the first women-led startup in the Northeast to secure FDI funding. Her company has empowered over 300 marginalised women. Traditional hand-pressed sheep-wool carpets from ChubaKo, a women majority project that focuses on Gurung traditions of sheep rearing, create a statement corner in the gallery, while ceramic and wood-ash glazed clay pieces from potters like Reena Rai of Studio Maato, and Anupa Rai of Bohomi, are available in the store. Sangay Palden of Studio Zeyma specialises in handmade organic lamps and art installations using the seeds of trumpet flowers, a flower of cultural significance. The space also houses Buddhist-inspired oil paintings by her husband Karma Tenrab, who has also displayed in Singapore and London.
In the third week of Craft Theory Collective’s opening, works from over 17 artists are currently on display, with more being onboarded. “We’ll be rotating the artists after a certain period to ensure everyone gets equal visibility and a chance to showcase their work,” Densapa says Smaller souvenir pieces for travellers embodying elements of Sikkim like handwoven khadas, creative maps of the state, and fridge magnets and bookmarks are also available to buy.
Ahana Gurung
Ahana Gurung
The food
The limited menu consists of gallery café fare, featuring a spread of homemade cakes, bakes and savouries, and gourmet bites sourced from people who are craftsmen in their own right. Think freshly made buttery croissants with homemade fruit preserves, flaky and perfectly seasoned pork sausage rolls that hit the spot on a lazy evening, and delectable choux pastries washed down with a cappuccino. The desserts in a jar come straight out of the iconic Neena’s Kitchen in Kalimpong, whose tiramisu created waves after Kareena Kapoor sampled her coffee-mascarpone dessert. Her other best sellers including Black Forest gateaux, panna cotta, and dark chocolate mousse are available to those who can’t travel to Kalimpong to sample her desserts.
The beverages, however, take centre stage here. Following a crop to cup concept, the specialty tea and coffee served comes entirely from Bermiok Tea and Coffee, the husband-wife duo’s tea estate and coffee farm in Bermiok, Sikkim. Tea is in Pradhan’s blood, as he inherits tea knowledge from his father, a well-known expert with decades of experience in the gardens. Although some of the best tea is grown in the region, very few people have real appreciation of it, mainly because all the premium varieties are exported. Pradhan wants to change this. “By showcasing specialty teas mapped by flavour profile – savoury, fruity, floral, vegetal and malty – and talking about each teas’ characteristics, we want to educate and show local consumers the nuances of tea, which they can sample and take back if they like,” he elaborates.
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