Multitude Of Sins, a self-described “restless” design studio based out of India with a taste for all things surreal, presents The Circus Canteen, a farm-to-table eatery born from the brewing cauldron of nostalgia and travel. Not unlike the circus itself, wherein troop members put together a spectacle far removed from the clutches of the mundane, the unconventional interiors present a mishmash of furniture and décor. Each element, from surface finishes, custom lighting, and art installations, to furniture, has been curated from a city-wide waste donation drive; treasures wrought from salvage markets and dumping yards, amounting to less than 10% of the material being freshly sourced.
Commissioned by the artistic community of Bangalore Creative Circus, this venue is emblematic of unshackled creative expression that manifests as hues, textures, and bespoke upcycled installations. Each table encapsulates a transportive experience, ensuring that the waste dons a reimagined sculptural presence entwined with utility.
The series of arches at the entrance are composed of scrap metal bathed in a lively teal hue. The passageway axis is dotted with grunge chandeliers consisting of bike chains and metal filings, flanked by upcycled vehicle headlights that pose as luminaires. The overarching flooring is an ensemble of discarded display samples pieced together in a Tetris-inspired fashion. A patchwork collage of discarded wallpaper swatches creates a riveting backdrop to the food counter, imbuing it with an interplay of color and pattern. The focal collage wall is an amalgamation of e-waste, sanitary fixtures, and discarded furniture that resembles a whimsically imagined jigsaw of waste.
“Project BigTop is the beacon of a pressing environmental message, yet it garbs itself in an artistic mien, while revealing its identity to its end-users,” the team at Multitude of Sins asserts. “It is a space for misfits, where oddities belong serendipitously!”
Photography by Ishita Sitwala.
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