The French, the Italians and the Australians have been masters at the art for centuries. But no Indian had thought of putting grapes to better use until 1997, when Rajeev Samant - Founder and CEO of Sula, came on the block. Today, Sula Vineyards is India’s leading premium wine producers. It is at the forefront of the Indian wine revolution.
TASK: To create an Annual Report for Sula.
A LITTLE INSPIRATION: My inspiration for this project was derived from the Mughal painting style. Historically, long before the Europeans woke up to the ‘incredible taste of fermented grape juice’, there was an age where the Mughal Empire established the very concept of drinking wine in the way only the Mughals could have, by making wine drinking, a refined art.
The Mughals were the first to celebrate wine so extensively in India and Sula, much like the royal Mughals, was the first to make wine drinking, a cultural phenomenon in the country.
Historians say that despite the fact that Islam bans intoxicating drinks, Mughal emperors like Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jehan not only followed the tradition of royal drinking, but also opened public bars in their kingdom. Paintings of this era hold evidence of such facts. The Miniature painting style was widely practiced during Mughal reign in India.
Play of flat colors, the 2D illustration style, intricate designs are some of the unique features of miniature paintings that I have incorporated in my designs. Being an ardent lover of Indian Art, I thoroughly enjoyed creating these pieces and then meticulously stitching them all together to create an Annual Report that marks the celebration of the Indian wine culture.
To view more of this project visit www.surabhirathi.com
