Beyond glitz & glamour

Michelle Poonawalla, who has recently made headlines with her acquisition of a stunning mansion in Mumbai’s Cuffe Parade, valued at an astounding `500 crore, talks about her unique approach to art, blending traditional techniques with cutting-edge digital methodologies, as well as her artistic lineage from her grandfather.

A visionary leader and accomplished artist who serves as Managing Director of the Poonawalla Engineering Companies within the esteemed Poonawalla Group meticulously plans her day, striking a balance between her professional responsibilities and her personal commitments.

Life full of splendour

“My responsibilities towards my companies, my family, my legacy, and my art are all manifestations of myself. It is important for me to be present in certain places because my people get their inspiration and day’s purpose from me, and I am well aware of that responsibility. Family time is essential to our family,” says the artist and philanthropist.

Michelle, wife of industrialist Yohan Poonawalla, says, “We all support Yohan in his passion for the vintage car industry and promoting India worldwide in the vintage car world. Horse racing and breeding is something that we also involve ourselves in. Yohan’s grandfather initiated this business, which has become synonymous with the family. We frequently spend a day at our stud farm.”

Everyday routine

MD of Poonawalla Engineering Group’s morning routine begins with a focus on staying connected and informed. “I have always maintained close industrial relations with the workers from the very beginning. I believe that having your team at all levels is the key to a positive workplace. My work has always been a platform to provoke thought on pressing issues like violence, water scarcity, and climate change. I believe my artistic voice can be an even more powerful catalyst for positive change,” says Michelle.

Artistic lineage

Her grandfather, Jehangir Vazifdar, was her biggest influence. “He was a renowned architect of South Mumbai’s most prestigious buildings at the time, as well as a remarkable artist. He was also a contemporary of art legends like Hussein, Raza, and Ram Kumar. Living with him, hearing his forward-thinking theories on art, seeing him sketch every day at our office on the way home from school, and hearing about his prized ruler technique — a proprietary art form that only he had developed and perfected — deeply influenced me,” says Michelle, who leads MYP Design Studio.

While growing up, her family always taught her to be kind and share in her daily life. “Our family instilled in us a strong sense of compassion towards everyone. My love for butterflies emerged from my 2016 exhibition at the Gateway School in Mumbai, where I worked very closely with children with special needs. Collaborating with the Gateway children was something I enjoyed. Teaching the kids and making art for their school charity felt rewarding,” says the graduate with honours in Interior Design + BA from the American College of London.

Art as an integral part of life

She grew up between the UK and India, inheriting a distinguished lineage from her grandfather. “My love for the art space emerged from my exhibition at the Gateway School in Mumbai in 2016, for which I worked very closely with children with special needs. For me, taking my grandfather’s legacy forward has always been at the forefront. If my grandfather only shared his prized oil painting technique with me, I must not waste it and carry it forward to the best of my ability,” she says.

“Architecture comes from my grandfather and my father; both are architects. My journey into digital art started with my first exhibition, ‘What If You Fly’ curated by Swapan Seth, in Delhi. Swapan pushed me to explore digital art, and being an artist who likes drama and enjoys my exhibitions to leave people with lasting impressions,” adds Michelle, known for blending formal painting techniques with experimental digital technology.

The Perfect Blend

Everything she creates is a derivation of the experiences that she lives and the upbringing she has had, says the artist. “I read a lot, and I am inherently a very sensitive individual. Digital art has blended technology and creativity so beautifully. It has pushed boundaries with its new techniques and forms. It reflects the zeitgeist, where the artist can combine contemporary themes and bring to light their innermost core thoughts through a digital lens. I have always been forward-looking in all my endeavours, whether it is the businesses that I lead or the art that I pursue for my creative side. It is a language that connects with our current society,” she says.