The Art Of Travelling In Style

Shalini Passi has immersed herself in the creative arts since her childhood. From being an artist, curator, and art collector, to now foraying into photography, the multi-hyphenate finds beauty wherever she goes. In an exclusive chat with Bayar Jain, the artist talks about her biggest muse: travel.

- Bayar Jain

Shalini Passi strikes a pose at Hotel Diggi Palace, Jaipur. The artist discovers something new on every visit to the Pink City.

ON HER: Outfit, Gaurav Gupta; earrings, Shri Paramani; prices on request.

Passi has now turned her focus to photography and recently converted a series of Paris photographs into NFTS.

ON HER: Outfit, Gaurav Gupta, jewellery, Amrapali; prices on request.

Excerpts from the interview:

You're an artist, collector, curator, photographer, and philanthropist. Which role describes you best?

It is difficult to pick one particular role, as all of these form my personality. Lately, I have been enjoying photography.

What inspired your first foray into art?

I was exposed to museums and galleries across various cultures in childhood. This helped me cultivate my relationship with art. I have been painting with varied mediums from a young age and have also tried my hand at sculpture. Since my father was in the construction business, I had early exposure to architecture as well—I've seen a lot of his architectural drawings. He was an artist too, and that further helped my journey into the art world.

You recently put up some Paris photographs on sale as NFTS. How did that come about?

Whenever I travel to a city, I carry my Nikon camera to shoot architectural elements that appeal to me. As I walk through these beautiful, culturally rich, and historically endowed buildings, I cannot help but capture them. And that's what I did in Paris too. I later turned it into a series of NFTS.

You photographed Delhi during lockdown. What was it like?