Deep Kailey is a creative director, consultant and the artistic director of ‘Without Shape Without Form’ (WSWF), an interactive travelling exhibition that bridges the gap between art, spirituality and mental health, approached from the lens of Sikh wisdom.
Prior to that, Deep held roles at Dazed and Confused, with Kim Jones and at Vogue India, and at one time was the fashion director for Tatler Magazine.
It’s in the context of fashion that Anne Muhlethaler, host of OOTC, became acquainted with Deep, when she was starting out as fashion editor for Vogue India in London.
In this conversation, the two start with a tale of Deep asking herself ‘the big questions’ as a young teenager, after the passing of her mother. They talk about her journey through art school, fashion, how she found her way to Dazed and Confused, under Nichola Formichetti, and later her work as managing director for designer Kim Jones, who’s now at Dior and Fendi, respectively, as head of mens and womenswear.
They move on to cover the story of how Deep found herself reconnecting with her Sikh roots in her late twenties, and she explains the meaning of the ‘game’ and the work of Simran, the focused practice for the mind (which sounds like but isn’t the same as meditation) that guided her to discover her own purpose and self-alignment.
After cultivating this spiritual practise for many years, Deep has been working with a team of volunteers on WSWF (Without Shape, Without Form), first an exhibition, now turned arts organisation, which offers visitors an experience which bridges the gap between art, spirituality and mental health. The project is meant to transcend cultural, social and racial barriers, and explores its subjects through Sikh teachings, bringing them into a contemporary context.
Anne and Deep also discuss personal values, the dark power of gossip, the meaning of connection (and its opposite), and compare metaphors of inner landscapes and inner abodes, self-concept and safety.
A very spiritual, resourced and open conversation. Happy listening!
Selected links from episode
You can find Deep via her website https://deepkailey.com/
On Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/iamdeepkailey/
Without Shape Without Form – https://www.withoutshapewithoutform.com/
Simran – https://www.withoutshapewithoutform.com/simran-1
Sikhi – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikhism
Dazed & Confused is now Dazed Digital
Stylist and designer Nicola Formichetti
Designer Kim Jones
The Guru Grant Sahib Ji, the holy book of scriptures
Deep’s Gurdwara is the Guru Maneyo Granth Gurdwara in Slough, U.K.
The song/kirtan she chose is ਪਿਛਲੇਅਉਗੁਣਬਖਸਿਲਏਪ੍ਰਭੁਆਗੈਮਾਰਗਿਪਾਵੈ।।੨।।
or : pishhalae aougun bakhas leae prabh aagai maarag paavai ||2||