It’s crystal clear: His art has an Indian connect

Whenever Olaf Van Cleef, scion of the Van Cleef  family of jewellery-makers and counsellor to Cartier, observes an ‘art enthusiast’ rushing through the paintings at his exhibition, he gently admonishes her, saying, “Madam, take your time, look very well at the detail. I have used 10 sheets of chocolate paper in this painting alone and overall about 15,000 Swarovski crystals in my 10 paintings.”

In his latest exhibition, titled Bejewelled Mosaic, at the Cymroza art gallery in Mumbai from October 14 to 31, Van Cleef’s technique is evident: softening the irregular dabs of bright watercolours with multiple dots in white relief, and Swarovski crystals as embellishment.

Speaking exclusively to DNA, he says, “My last exhibition here in Mumbai was more factual. This time it is a mosaic, a story of my personality. I am more concerned with the detail. Detail is perfection. In the Ganesha painting I have spent over 300 manhours and used thousands of crystals. The white dots you see here are plaster. I work a lot with small dots, in felt pens and in pencil too. I would like to call my paintings ‘miniature’. It is here that I seek perfection.”

Many of his paintings on display have an Indian connection. “My paintings are not only for the rich, but are accessible to everyone. I have painted Bollywood actor Rekha, wearing a hat, along with other Indian iconography that I’m crazy about,” says Olaf Van Cleef.