Friday, October 3, 2008
Artist's Speak
And my sculptures
Two cites on the of Ganga ghat Lucknow and Banaras a famous saying that come to our mind when we think of these – ‘Dawn at Lucknow and Morning at Banaras are very famous in India to experience’. I never lived in Banaras for long. Banaras being an ancient city of temples, but whenever I went there, it always had something that attracts me to live there to be a part of it. The series of temples at the brink of Ganga ghats, bomboos on temples tops with orange flags (Kesaria), bamboo umbrellas on temple premises and bamboo barricades (Ballian) on the brink that connects one ghat (brink of the river) to the other. It adds when you see this incredible scene with elongated boats with people and their belongings on it. It takes you nostalgically to a historical plane where India used to look in time. The time where rhythmic chants – shlokas, artee - ritual that offer prayers to the God and high tingling sound of bells, changes the ambience inducing religious belief and purity of heart. It is an ultimate experience for everyone. Millions of people come to Banaras to ward off evil sprits and sacrifice their bad habits by bathing in the Ganga river, this holy experience energizes me to make these sculptures.
The romanticism of Banaras ghats, are portrayed in my work. Whether being using of bamboo or ceramic boats, or mirror as river Ganga, or in that matter the use of metal in the shape of a setting Sun. Whatever material that I have used is mere medium, the important it are the shapes that I have taken it from the ghats of Banaras. The small thing that is being portrayed is influenced by the romantics and holy ambience of Banaras city. The triumph of humanity over a man is what we can experience in the one of the oldest city of the world. Though, the history of Banaras is very old and even the scriptures are one of the oldest in the world, the stories that still lives through generations of centuries, it is very difficult to ward off fully the impact and the effect of the city into our daily lives. It is not being on a religious brink but it is all about the state of living from the ages of Shiva—one of the founders of Hinduism as written in the scriptures.
Ardhnareshwar—half man half women (again Shiva) is said that the river Ganga had been tamed by the circular comb of the hood called jata—that infact, brought Ganga from the heavens to earth without harming it. It is being said that Shiva—one of the primal force to build up the earth and it’s living as trees, animals, fishes etc. is yet an example of how the world is created and is portrayed by the writers who scripted it. There are numerous example in which Shiva and its Shakti (the power) is being described, though, there are detailed stories about the Ganga and its purity—it is remarkable to see that Ganga being the longest river bed found in Asia and one is the fifth among the world to travel from the east to the west crossing the northern India connecting almost ever major city around the Indian subcontinent, and it is termed as one of the holy rivers due to its meditative importance. There are innumerous amount of stories about the city and its structure. My work has been an attempt to portray whatever I could. To build up the ambience of the city and its essence to the world that sees it. It is needless to explain each and every part of the historical background of the city as it exists more than ten thousand years and had a very rich history of it kind. And also it is impossible to portray each and every part of it in my works because of the kind of scriptures present as an historical background and the kind of effort is needed to portray it needs more time. One life is not enough to just experiencing it. Though. Bamboos. Sun. Ganga ghats, etc are the same as it was once built, so I am recollecting these experiences with a background of the history so that an abstract construction of my works relates directly to the sentiments of the people and the place that it holds its importance.
Gangadhar Mahato
Two cites on the of Ganga ghat Lucknow and Banaras a famous saying that come to our mind when we think of these – ‘Dawn at Lucknow and Morning at Banaras are very famous in India to experience’. I never lived in Banaras for long. Banaras being an ancient city of temples, but whenever I went there, it always had something that attracts me to live there to be a part of it. The series of temples at the brink of Ganga ghats, bomboos on temples tops with orange flags (Kesaria), bamboo umbrellas on temple premises and bamboo barricades (Ballian) on the brink that connects one ghat (brink of the river) to the other. It adds when you see this incredible scene with elongated boats with people and their belongings on it. It takes you nostalgically to a historical plane where India used to look in time. The time where rhythmic chants – shlokas, artee - ritual that offer prayers to the God and high tingling sound of bells, changes the ambience inducing religious belief and purity of heart. It is an ultimate experience for everyone. Millions of people come to Banaras to ward off evil sprits and sacrifice their bad habits by bathing in the Ganga river, this holy experience energizes me to make these sculptures.
The romanticism of Banaras ghats, are portrayed in my work. Whether being using of bamboo or ceramic boats, or mirror as river Ganga, or in that matter the use of metal in the shape of a setting Sun. Whatever material that I have used is mere medium, the important it are the shapes that I have taken it from the ghats of Banaras. The small thing that is being portrayed is influenced by the romantics and holy ambience of Banaras city. The triumph of humanity over a man is what we can experience in the one of the oldest city of the world. Though, the history of Banaras is very old and even the scriptures are one of the oldest in the world, the stories that still lives through generations of centuries, it is very difficult to ward off fully the impact and the effect of the city into our daily lives. It is not being on a religious brink but it is all about the state of living from the ages of Shiva—one of the founders of Hinduism as written in the scriptures.
Ardhnareshwar—half man half women (again Shiva) is said that the river Ganga had been tamed by the circular comb of the hood called jata—that infact, brought Ganga from the heavens to earth without harming it. It is being said that Shiva—one of the primal force to build up the earth and it’s living as trees, animals, fishes etc. is yet an example of how the world is created and is portrayed by the writers who scripted it. There are numerous example in which Shiva and its Shakti (the power) is being described, though, there are detailed stories about the Ganga and its purity—it is remarkable to see that Ganga being the longest river bed found in Asia and one is the fifth among the world to travel from the east to the west crossing the northern India connecting almost ever major city around the Indian subcontinent, and it is termed as one of the holy rivers due to its meditative importance. There are innumerous amount of stories about the city and its structure. My work has been an attempt to portray whatever I could. To build up the ambience of the city and its essence to the world that sees it. It is needless to explain each and every part of the historical background of the city as it exists more than ten thousand years and had a very rich history of it kind. And also it is impossible to portray each and every part of it in my works because of the kind of scriptures present as an historical background and the kind of effort is needed to portray it needs more time. One life is not enough to just experiencing it. Though. Bamboos. Sun. Ganga ghats, etc are the same as it was once built, so I am recollecting these experiences with a background of the history so that an abstract construction of my works relates directly to the sentiments of the people and the place that it holds its importance.
Gangadhar Mahato
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Awards & Achievements
Saturday, March 8, 2008
Sculpture Artist's Profile
Gangadhar Mahato
Born – 1978 - Dhanbad
__________________________________________________
Qualification
BFA (Sculpture) from Jamia Millia lslamia, New Delhi in 2002
MFA (Sculpture) from Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi in 2004
Experience
2005, 2006, 2007, 2008
Worked as Art Director in Sahitya Kala Parishad, Summer Workshop.
2004
Worked as Art Instructor in Dr. A.V. Baliga Memorial Trust.
1997-2003
Worked as Art Instructor (part-time) in 'PACE' Society for promotion of Art, Culture & Education.
1999-2002
Worked in Delhi Trade Fair as an Artist.
2002
Worked as Art Instructor in Summer Workshop of Jawahar Lal Nehru National Youth Centre, NOIDA.
2001
Worked as an Assistant Director, in NDMC.
1999
Worked as a part-time Summer Sculpture instructor in Bal Bhawan.
2004 till date
Working as a Freelance artist.
Camp and Workshops
2010
Terra Cotta Sculpture Workshop organized by Madhya Pradesh Sanskriti Parisad at Bhopal.
2009
National Level Stone Sculpture Camp organized by North East Zone Culture Centre, Dimapur, Nagaland.
2007
· Artist Camp organized by Kota Administration, Kota.
· Artist Camp organized by Creativity Connect, Institute of Fine Arts, Modi Nagar.
2006
· Sculpture (Stone) camp in Chandigarh organized by North Zone Culture Centre
· Metal Casting Artist Camp organized by Lalit Kala Academy, Art Festival in Delhi.
· Ananya Kala Shivir' organized by 'Ka' Magazine, Allahabad.
2005
Artist Camp organized by JANAADHAR, Dehradun.
2004
· Young Artist Camp organized by Sahitya Kala Parisad.
· Sculpture Workshop organized by Khalsa College of Patiala, Punjab.
· Seminar-cum-Workshop'SAMHITA' organized by College of Arts & AIFACS. 2003
2003
· Artist Camp organized by 'HADOTI' Udyog Mela Kota.
· 12th Yuva Mahotsava Art Camp organized by Sahitya Kala Parishad.
1998
Black terracotta workshop under M/s. Michal Cristien in NGMA, Delhi.
Participation
2010
Participation in 6th Annual International Exhibition ‘Sculpture by the Sea’, Cottesloe, Perth, Australia.
2008
51st National Exhibition of Art organized by Lalit Kala Academy in Goa.
2007
· Participatecl in State Lalit Kala exhibition organized by All India Art Exhibition. Lucknow
· Participated in Dhoomimal Art competition organized by Dhoomimal Gallery, Delhi
2004
46th National Exhibition of Art organized by Lalit Kala Academy in Kochi
2003
State Lalit Kala Academy annual exhibition, Lucknow.
2002
· Regional exhibition at PACE Kala Dhirgha, NOIDA.
· All India Art Exhibition by AIFACS Delhi.
2000
· Annual exhibition of Sculpture and Paintings organized by AIFACS, Delhi.
· Participation in Inter North-Zone festival held in Rohtak.
1999
Participated in Dhoomimal Art competition organized by Dhoomimal Gallery, Delhi.
1998
Participation in Kalam Festival organized by Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi
Exhibitions
2007
· Art Petal' a group show in Fine Arts Gallery in Baroda.
· Group show at Museum of Fine Arts, Punjab University, Chandigarh.
· Group show at Arpana Art Gallery, Delhi.
· Group show at Lalit Kala Academy, Rabindra Bhawan, Delhi.
· Summer Show organized by Lalit Kala Acadmey, Rabindra Bhawan, Delhi.
2006
· Dew to Drop' a group at Rabindra Bhawan, Lalit Kala Academy, Delhi.
· Anusmiriti a group show at Jawahar Ka!a Kendra Jaipur.
· Group show at Rashtrapati Bhawan, Delhi.
· Summer Art Show organized by Lalit Kala Acadmey, Rabindra Bhawan, Delhi.
2002
Group show at India Habitat Centre, Delhi.
Awards & Scholarship
2005-2006
Lalit Kala Academy Scholarship.
1999-2000
Merit Scholarship. Jamia Millia Islamia.
Collection
Iran. Mauritius. Canada, Jamia Millia Islamia, Khalsha College and many other private collectors
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
