HELLO! Exclusive: Vikram Goyal's sculptural sorcery

Rich, grandiose and venerable is the artistry of this product designer. A master at repoussé metalwork and contemporising India’s artisanal expertise, Vikram Goyal has — literally — hammered his way into the upper echelons of design, transforming the humble brass into works of cherished art, breathing life into each of his unique creations. At the heart of his practice is close collaborations with artisan communities, which allows for not just preservation but also nonconformist, expressive innovations.

From private royal heritage homes in Delhi to the palaces of Bahrain and Udaipur, Vikram’s commissions — valued at more than Rs 1 crore so far — highlight both the scale and prestige of his work.

Through Vikram Goyal Studio, he takes India’s heritage in ornamentation to leading design galleries like Nilufar in Milan, The Future Perfect in the US, and PAD London, whereas his lifestyle brand, Viya, makes his expertise relatively accessible through a range of products like furniture, vases, lighting, textiles, and more.

Most recently, Vikram synergised his design prowess with the wildlife conservationist in him through ‘Wrapped in History,’ a collection of blankets for ‘The Great Elephant Migration’ initiative that aims to promote human-wildlife coexistence. He curated 70 handcrafted ceremonial blankets by 55 renowned designers from around the world. Their auction in Los Angeles from July 20 to August 1 raised more than US$230,000, in support of 21 NGOs.

We listen intently as Vikram shares his immersive experience with melding brass into entities that demand and devotion, one strike of the hammer at a time…

You’ve said, “I’m neither a formally trained designer nor an artist… I occupy this third space.” Could you elaborate on this?

That phrase comes from my realisation that my work is not easily classified. I come from a background in finance, not art or design. But what I bring to the table is an ability to connect seemingly disparate worlds, traditional craft and collectible design, business thinking and intuitive creativity. This “third space” is a hybrid terrain where I act as a translator between knowledge systems. It’s also a space of negotiation, where we don’t choose between form and function, heritage and innovation, but allow all of them to coexist. That’s where the most exciting ideas unfold.

Your most defining designs have been brassware. How did the metal shape your signature aesthetic?

Brass has been my medium of alchemy, both literally and metaphorically. Its transformative quality underlines much of my aesthetic. What fascinates me most is its deep cultural memory in the Indian context — it’s used in temples, rituals, and everyday domesticity. In my studio, we use it to create narratives through objects that carry both gravitas and grace, sculptural pieces that oscillate between traditional symbolism and contemporary form.

What material combinations excite you the most? Also, tell us what you are exploring lately.

What excites me most is the potential for dialogue between materials. Combining brass with pietra dura inlays, semi-precious stones, or marble allows us to highlight contrast, solid against delicate, matte against reflective. We recently began experimenting with patinated finishes and burnished surfaces that evolve with time. There’s also growing interest in integrating salvaged or reclaimed metals.

How do you consistently bridge heritage techniques with contemporary forms?

This is the central inquiry of my practice. India has a profound heritage of ornamentation and artisanal expertise, but the challenge is in finding ways to bring these techniques into a language that’s relevant today. Repoussé, with its ancient lineage, lends itself beautifully to this process. It allows for depth, curvature, and a kind of ruminant handwork that breathes life into each piece. We work closely with artisans to push repoussé beyond its decorative origins into sculptural abstraction, architectural forms, and modular design systems. We allow tradition to inform the form, but never to limit it.

What’s the most common request you receive from clients? And how do you counsel those who want global style but seek an Indian narrative, as well?

Clients often come to us with a desire for bespoke statement pieces. Increasingly, they also want their spaces to reflect global sophistication without losing cultural depth. I counsel them to embrace abstraction. Instead of literal motifs or overt Indian references, I suggest a subtler language, textures inspired by temple friezes, forms derived from Mughal geometry, or finishes that recall the patina of old Indian palaces.

What is it about the repoussé technique that makes it your absolute favourite?

There’s something deeply spiritual and meditative about shaping mtal from the reverse, about letting a form slowly emerge through pressure, intuition, and time. It’s a technique that holds memory in its very folds, each contour shaped by hand, and each indentation carrying intent. It also gives us the freedom to work at different scales, from the intimate to the monumental, and allows for a kind of three-dimensionality that is rare in metalwork.

Which elements of décor do you think make the best statement pieces for a home?

The most powerful statement pieces are not necessarily the biggest or the most ornate; they are the ones that carry emotion, mystery, and craftsmanship. A piece that invites pause, reflection, or storytelling — that’s what makes people remember it.

You emphasise classic, narrativedriven interiors — objects that age gracefully. What, according to you, makes a piece truly timeless?

Timelessness is about depth, emotion, material, and concept. A timeless piece should not only endure physically but emotionally. It should continue to reveal itself over time. This is why we avoid trends and focus on universal human themes like mythology, memory, ritual, and nature. And craftsmanship plays a significant role. A piece that’s meticulously made will always outlast something that’s merely styled. We also embrace imperfection, patina, texture, and age marks that make the object feel lived-in and soulful.

What do you want the world to know about Indian design, as they observe your work on global platforms?

I want the world to see Indian design as not just decorative or folkloric, but as deeply intellectual and future-facing. There’s a tendency to frame Indian design within the lens of heritage, but our design vocabulary is far more expansive. We bring a centuries-old sensitivity to material, form, and ornament, but we also bring curiosity and experimentation. Presenting in cities like Milan, London and Miami has taught me that the hunger for narrative and craft is universal. However, each geography engages differently — Milan might appreciate conceptual elegance; Mumbai and Delhi, respond to drama and scale.

You recently curated ‘Wrapped in History’ for ‘The Great Elephant Migration’ fundraising initiative, which took a travelling art installation of 100 elephant sculptures across the US. How important was the involvement of indigenous communities in this?

From the outset, ‘Wrapped in History’ was envisioned as a global dialogue, one that honoured the blanket as an object of deep cultural significance. The involvement of indigenous voices was foundational. Their perspectives provided grounding and authenticity, reminding us of the blanket’s original purpose as more than decorative — it is symbolic, ceremonial, political. The initiative presents how art and interiors can be used to make a significant impact.

How do you believe the auction of the blankets will drive tangible change in conservation and craft?

These blankets aren’t just luxury objects; they’re bearers of history, culture, and ecological urgency. The project is rooted in the belief that beauty and purpose can — and must — coexist. By embedding activism into aesthetics, ‘Wrapped in History’ reminds us that every object we live with can carry meaning, memory, and momentum for change. Auctioning them will create a bridge from symbolic gesture to tangible impact. It will transform an object of ritual into a force of activism.

This interview was featured in the August '25 issue of HELLO! India. For more exclusive stories, subscribe to the magazine here.