Neil Ghose Balser and Doyel Joshi in talks with Akshat Rajan
On November 29th, members stepped into the eighth floor of Soho House—a familiar and intimate space for regular visitors—only to find the floor ‘tilted’ by more than a few degrees. The furniture was arranged exactly as one would expect, yet there was a lingering unease as if the space itself was on the brink of falling. This minor disruption created an unfamiliar discomfort, subtly altering the visual dynamics and prompting the realisation that art is not confined to a frame, but can be more immersive and experiential.
An evening titled ‘Creativity Connections’ that many may have anticipated being just a talk, featuring Akshat Rajan, founder of studio Akiko Rhythm; a wellness community, alongside Doyel Joshi and Neil Ghose Balser, the founders of How Are You Feeling studio, turned into a deeply thought-provoking experience. For Akshat, it marked a “full-circle moment." This evening was a culmination of his encounters with both Neil and Doyle at a talk, including shows like The Stone Marries an Egg, where 108 woman artisans sat in a communal formation and crafted 20,000 flower buds from waste fabric. Only this time Akshat was amongst the participants present in the gathering, one of the first few who engaged with their art at the show, which sparked a dialogue about their shared passion for art and the pursuit of discovery. This creative synergy eventually mapped their latest interaction where they came together in a conversation centred on the theme of House, Home.
This installation also represents an ongoing exploration by serving as a precursor to their large-scale installation planned for Summer 2025 in the UK. Alongside the talk, a performance in collaboration with Somya and Tanuj unfolded on the centre of the stage where artists dressed in casual attire moved in slow, deliberate motions, influenced by the slant of the floor. As the audience observed, it felt as though they were witnessing a powerful metaphor for how even the smallest changes in our surroundings can significantly alter the way we interact with the world.
Among the many impactful messages delivered during the evening, Akshat brought his own direction through a meditation session at the beginning of the talk, grounding and centring the audience in the space that exists between the reverberations of sounds. To this, Akshat’s approach made the duo’s journey deeply personal for the audience, constantly urging them to introspect. During the talk, the duo Doyel and Neil shed all pretension and embraced an artist’s rawness and vulnerability while sharing personal insights from their artistic journeys and the transformation of their wedding into a high-fashion conceptual art piece.
There were visible moments where borders seemed to blur, whether it was the coming together of two disparate disciplines—wellness and art—or the artist and audience who participated in the dialogues on reimagining the familiar. The set-up challenged them to reconsider their relationship with the world around them and reflect on how even the most reassuring aspects of our environment—our sense of normalcy and safety—can confine us and distort our growth.
As the Indian art landscape continues to expand, we look forward to more such potentials in art brought forth by the likes of Doyel and Neil. Since the inception of their studio, How Are You Feeling Studio, the duo has consistently surprised and left a lasting impact through their works, whether it is through unconventional cross-disciplinary collaborations or innovative use of mediums. Similarly, the emergence of communities like Akiko Rhythm blends wellness practices with a journey of self-exploration experience in events hosted at NMACC such as Beyond Boundaries and Pop Fame. Both approaches cultivate immersive environments within their respective domains, actively engaging participants while placing a strong emphasis on introspection.
