In a unique initiative, Saffronart, India’s leading art auction house and Mercedes-Benz India, the global premium automobile brand have partnered for promotion of the arts in India. The result is an exclusive industry partnership inspired by the vibrant art, design and jewelry traditions of India.
Mercedes-Benz is supporting the Saffronart Autumn Online Auction of Modern and Contemporary Indian Art being held online at www.saffronart.com on September 21-22, 2011.
Celebrating the launch of this auction, an event was held at ‘Tote on the Turf’ in Mumbai to showcase a selection of lots in the auction, including a wide variety of artworks of exceptional provenance and quality.
The event featured modern works by M.F. Husain, S.H. Raza, Arpita Singh and Jehangir Sabavala alongside those of contemporary artists like Atul Dodiya, Shibu Natesan, Anju Dodiya, Subodh Gupta and Surendran Nair.
A special highlight of the partnership was the unveiling of a customized Mercedes-Benz S-Class ‘Art Edition’ at the event. This S-Class, one of the two limited edition cars have been specially designed to commemorate the alliance between Saffronart and Mercedes-Benz at a special price of Rs. 1.14 Crore (Ex Showroom Delhi).
Designed to be different, every stroke of the S-Class Art Edition brings you the finest finish, trims and fittings from Designo by the AMG Performance Studio. The experience inside an S-Class is the epitome of luxury, offering a range of unparalleled options that promise exclusivity while ensuring ethereal harmony between the interior and exterior. The alluring colour Designo Mocha Black lends the car a visually captivating appeal, with precision finished shades and a deep lustre rich colour finished precisely by specialists at Mercedes-Benz.
This Art Edition offers one of the pioneering Innovative technologies SPLIT VIEW, a unique display technology allowing both driver and front passenger to view different visuals at the same point of time. Equipped with single tone leather upholstery, Designo deep white – is the finest grain leather sourced exclusively from bulls of Southern Germany and carefully handcrafted by experienced upholsterers ensuring the seats cut a fine figure.
The masterpiece has the finest wood, piano lacquer to augment the rich-feel inside and is further emphasized by the use of Harman Kardon® LOGIC 7® Surround Sound System, which provides the world’s best surround sound technology. Additional features include the rear seat entertainment system with a Champagne chiller, massage function with lumbar support.
Dinesh Vazirani, Co-Founder and CEO of Saffronart commented on the association, “Both Saffronart and Mercedes-Benz deeply value aesthetics and have constantly endeavoured to innovate to serve their customers.
Through our partnership, we explore and engage with the changing face of aesthetics in India today, as influenced by both its long-standing traditions as well as contemporary trends and forces. Together, we hope to expand and enrich the understanding of the finer aspects of Indian art and aesthetics, and help people set out on new and exciting journeys as informed collectors.”
“Mercedes-Benz is indistinguishable from a refined and luxurious lifestyle, and we have consistently set newer benchmarks for style, quality and luxury for our connoisseurs. We are delighted to be associated with Saffronart and support the most creative and exquisite pieces of art. It is a proud moment for us where our wealth of innovation in the creation of automobiles has merged with the unique and imaginative world of art and culture.” said Peter Honegg, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India.
A key aspect of this partnership is Saffronart’s ‘Art & Aesthetics Series’, which features presentations by well-known experts on understanding modern and contemporary Indian art, jewelry, design and architecture. Special events are being held in Mumbai, New Delhi, Pune, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Ludhiana. Each of these events will be followed by a private cocktail reception where guests can interact with the speakers and learn more about their fields of expertise.
The ‘Art and Aesthetics Series’ has already hosted two successful events: the first, held in August at Saffronart’s gallery space in Mumbai, was an illustrated talk by Reema Keswani exploring the life and work of A.V. Shinde, Harry Winston’s head designer. Addressing jewelry enthusiasts and collectors, Keswani spoke on Shinde’s design sensibility, his contribution to the jewelry industry, and his highly sought after work.
Dinesh Vazirani, Co-founder and CEO of Saffronart had also addressed a packed audience at the second event in the series, held at the Mercedes-Benz dealership in Pune. The topic was ‘Collecting and Investing in Modern and Contemporary Indian Art’, where Vazirani had offered a critical appraisal of the developments that have influenced the evolution of the Indian art market over the last fifteen years. The event was attended by Peter Honegg, Managing Director, and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India.
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