বাংলায় পড়ুন
Emami Art, the contemporary art gallery at the Kolkata Centre for Creativity hosted ‘Rasa’, the first comprehensive solo exhibition of sculptures by Ravinder Reddy, one of the most eminent sculptors of the country, in the city. The Visakhapatnam based artist has asserts a unique blend to his sculptures- larger than life, gold plated glass heads of women. Each piece tells a story of grandeur and a goddess like energy in spite of the raw strokes around the lidless eyes and full mouths.
Reddy links his work to classical art forms, like Salabhanjika, an erotic goddess of fertility and an icon of the indigenous pop folk art. As critic and art curator Anupa Mehta states, “Reddy marries contemporary and tradition to come up with something vernacular and exotic at the same time”. Reddy’s sculptures do not meet the conventional beauty standards yet amass a certain weight. He is inspired by people in his surroundings unlike most contemporary artists who are known to work with found models. “I must have direct physical contact with the object. I need to feel the life-force when I touch them and explore,” Reddy elaborates.
Rasa featured thirteen artworks of the artist, which was curated by Anupa Mehta, spanning artworks between the years 1989-2019. Earlier, the artist has been featured at the Saffronart Auction and notably the 2013 South Asian Modern and contemporary Art Auction in New York. However, he believes selecting the City of Joy is beneficial for his future works and to understand opinions from the art peers in the city.
Apart from the indigenous folklores, Reddy is also inspired by international influences. Many of his sculptures have a tinge of South Asian, African and even Egyptian cultures. He also explains how the sculpture sphere has changed over the decades. Over the years, collectors have developed a taste for three dimensional works, conveying emotions and realism. He is now working on more artworks for his coming exhibitions.
