Sculpting a conducive ecosystem for art
An exhibition titled iSculpt, has 19 sculptors and two photographers displaying spellbinding artworks, in Delhi.
When an artist is given a free hand to explore and experiment with materials at his/her own will, often the resultant artwork creates an astounding impact. Such was the case when 19 sculptors and two photographers took to their preferred medium to create art, which are now displayed at the exhibition titled iSculpt.
Echoing the spiritual and ecological sentiments, the contemporary installations, sculptures and photographs on display are a perfect amalgamation of artistic sensibilities. Take for instance artist Neeraj Gupta’s large elephant sculpture titled Heaven and Earth, which is placed at the entrance and represents the beauty and strength of giant mammals as well as the danger on their species. “This work depicts the greed of humanity — symbolised by the elephant — which is causing global warming and is disrupting Nature’s cycle. The result of this is climate change that’s visible in melting glaciers, and represented by empty kumbhs (utensils),” explains Gupta, present of Delhi Art Society, which is organising this show.
Among the exhibits are also photographs captured by Manoj Arora and American photographer Caleb Call. Arora, whose work showcases design dynamics and spatial complexities, is showcasing six photographs. He explains, “My work is inspired by everything I see in daily life. It’s very simple and straight forward as I’m completely driven by the stories that my reflections carry. The essential aspect is to share my perspective through reflections, and being expressive about it. For me, it’s very important to put across my point of view and the fun part is that you show your perspective and suddenly it becomes someone else’s perspective too; that’s very satisfying.”
Reflecting a seamless balance of power and responsibility is sculptor Nimesh Pilla’s Lion. “This is a lion with wings. I wanted to depict that with power, you get the responsibility to maintain peace, and the two go hand in hand. This is the idea behind this sculpture,” says Pilla.
Art curator Uma Nair elucidates how each art work is not only relevant in the present times, but is also placed at the venue after a thought-through process. “I’ve placed them in such a way that they talk to each other. For instance, Satish Gupta’s Conference of Birds is taken from a 12th century Sufi poem, and will greet the visitors. Many will see a tree from a distance and want to walk towards it. While placing the artworks, I also kept in mind to do so according to their composition and the materials used to create them,” adds Nair.
Catch It Live
What: iSculpt
Where: Gandhi King Plaza, India International Centre, Max Mueller Marg, Lodhi Road
When: December 4 to 18
Timing: 8am to 8pm
Nearest Metro Station: Jor Bagh on Yellow Line and Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Violet Line
Author tweets @anjuri
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