When stones speak

Manika Ahuja

Stones, generally perceived as lifeless and inanimate, have suddenly come to life. Reason? Many accomplished sculptors have gathered in the city at the ‘Invocation Rock Seed’- a sculpture workshop and symposium at the Government Museum and Art Gallery, Chandigarh.

“Organised by the Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi, the event has brought together many stone carvers,” says Rajendar Tiku, one of the sculptors.

Varied images

A proud recipient of the Padma Shri in 2013, Tiku says, “With the belief that tradition, continuity and contemporary pieces of art can be juxtaposed through stone sculpting, I have been involved in this field for the last 38 years now. It is not a revival, but a continuation of an old ethos that I endeavour to achieve.”

Born in Jammu, Tiku is working to present the “core idea of the making of Chandigarh” through his artwork. He says, “Le Corbusier planned the city in the form of a grid, I will conjure that image in the mind’s eye by using a grid-shaped stone.”

The only thing this artist needs in return for “more than 10 hours of work daily”, to breathe life into lifeless stones is “for the artworks to get their due by being displayed at prominent places of the city.”

Sky is the limit

Another sculptor Robin David, from Bhopal, shares more, “My work is symbolic of a window to the sky, which signifies that once you have faith in your hopes and dreams, the sky is the limit.” David is a visiting professor at the Musashino Art University, Japan.

Peaceful corner

Who said art is only meant to invoke serious thoughts and messages? Here is an artist, who takes a dig at the current state of affairs, the automaton-like lifestyle, the polluted streets and more. D. Rajshekharan Nair, from Kerala, says, “There is so much congestion everywhere you go. We need to go away from the maddening crowd and closer to nature. My sculpture will highlight the congested and crowded areas.”

Talking about the response the event has garnered, chairperson of Chandigarh Lalit Kala Akademi, Bheem Malhotra, shares “The symposium is an effort to re-awaken the interest of city people in traditional art forms. We want to build a connect with local youngsters. The response has been overwhelming.”