All that glitters is Olaf van Cleef’s art

THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS
By Abinaya Kalyanasundaram
The painting of goddess Saraswathi on a duck
CHENNAI, India---Speaking with the French artist Olaf van Cleef, we realise that if you love life enough, it will love you back. The scion of the famed French luxury jewellery, watch and perfume brand, Van Cleef & Arpels, Olaf is no stranger to luxury, yet he speaks with such modesty and zest for life, that it comes through in his art. The 66-year-old travelling artist will be back in Chennai today for an art and storytelling session, and we catch up with the self-professed Chennai-philiac about his works and passions. "I was inspired after seeing some Thanjavur paintings and visiting the Taj Mahal with its beautiful semi-precious stone mosaic work. My artwork is inspired from Hindu gods and goddesses, who are all beautiful, young and fully covered with jewellery" SAID CLEEF. "In Christianity, all saints are very old (chuckles)."[More]