Of peace and anguish
Two Indian artists portray very different visual messages at this year’s Sculpture by the Sea exhibition, NOOPUR SINGHAL reports.
Each year for three weeks, the gorgeous Bondi to Tamarama coastal walk in Sydney plays host to a very exciting contemporary sculpture exhibition. Artists from Australia and around the world transform the rugged terrain into a giant showground where the gargantuan meets the delicate, surprising the viewer at every turn. Over a hundred sculptures in mediums as diverse as fiberglass and wood are installed on the natural plinth in the most unexpected of places, from tiny nooks and crannies to beautiful flowerbeds and colossal rocks. The Sculpture by the Sea art exhibition is a major free event for the public and a regular feature on Sydney’s events calendar.
Walking along the windswept path hugging the cliffs in the company of hundreds of other people gives one a feeling of being on an adventure together. We look forward to the next artistic surprise around the corner. This sense of bonding with complete strangers, while enjoying art, was the exact impetus behind the creation of Sculpture by the Sea, by Founding Director David Handley. “Like so many other people I have always loved large community arts events like Opera in the Park and Symphony under the Stars, especially the way total strangers sit next to each other listening to music while enjoying a picnic dinner and a few glasses of wine. To me, this sense of community is too rarely displayed or available in today’s modern world where there are few opportunities for seriously enjoyable cultural activities that are free,” says David. Today, this accessible visual arts event attracts over a hundred thousand visitors, serious artists and extremely generous sponsors.
Sculpture by the Sea has made a conscious effort to represent the increasingly international artistic community and as a result, their 2010 show has contributors from London and New York, to Oslo and Berlin. Two Indian artists, DLN Reddy and Gangadhar Mahato are also participating.
Strolling along the walk, looking and admiring, the simplistic beauty of Reddy’s work provides a peaceful respite from the eccentric, the esoteric and the enormous. Looking down from the grassy flatland, his untitled work uncannily resembles the beautiful woman it represents as it stands on a little ledge overlooking the wild ocean, gleaming bronze and gold in the sunlight with tiny yellow flowers at its feet. “I always see that ‘something different’ every day, making normal objects into something more beautiful. For me, form is the most important aspect of my art and I am inspired by the form of the human body, as there is no more beautiful form on earth,” admits Reddy with a chuckle.
The 250cm x 45cm x 45cm untitled work is an assemblage of intricately designed bronze vases that detach the artistic energy from the tedious craft of arts production to form a sculpture manipulated into the abstraction of the female form. True to his Cubist-inspired style, Reddy explains, “Art need not be restricted by medium. I try and create in a way that the viewer can get a feeling from the shape. This rhythmic build up of the form is certainly ambiguous enough to make the viewer comfortable in making their own interpretation based on what they feel or think.”
DLN Reddy is a thought-provoking artist whose work recognizes the banal, everyday objects as a nascent force, full of creative energy that is harnessed by the artist to explore the potential of aesthetic forms in an almost ethereal way.
Reddy has enjoyed presenting his work here. “It’s a great feeling to have your work displayed in Australia on Bondi beach. The iconic location along with the innovative display and extensive exposure is a dream come true for any artist and a matter of pride for the community.”
In complete juxtaposition to Reddy’s work, Gangadhar Mahato’s work is all about portraying the artist’s inner feelings through his work. Aptly titled Anguish, the 175cm x 54cm x 49cm fiberglass work of a beautifully sculpted man standing with his feet planted and hands by his sides, instantly portrays a sense of frustration and anger. His mouth is open in a soundless scream, his elbows are stiff, shoulders tense, his neck muscles are tightly corded and double eyes, ears, hands and feet instantly take the viewer back to a time when they were shaking with helplessness, struggling against a completely hopeless situation. Even the purple of the sculpture gives one a feeling of held breath.
By portraying this feeling of anguish in such a physical form, Mahato’s sculpture aims to connect with the viewer on the common ground of internal feelings, deeply felt, but often suppressed. Even the placement of the work, slightly set back from the path between fluid glass formations and an attention grabbing ‘OMG’ hints at how people try and downplay their internal turmoil when in public.
“Many times a person is unable to show his or her feelings, which may not be visible, but are still present in mind and body,” he says.
Mahato is a skilled craftsman, a sculptor through and through with strong connections to his roots, and he often draws inspiration from his origins, channeling the ideological conflict into easily relatable art.
The most endearing part was that children loved Mahato’s work, wanting to touch and copy and pose with the trembling purple man, while Reddy’s work attracted the yoga-loving and peace-seeking crowd to gather about for a moment of contemplative silence. Both artists succeeded wonderfully in presenting sculpture with immense potential for the viewer to find beauty and meaning, magnificently displayed against the sculpture of Mother Nature.
Sculpture by the Sea, a free exhibition at Bondi Beach will be on until November 14.
