Sculpting a twist | Verve Magazine
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Framed
February 05, 2015

Sculpting a twist

Text by Huzan Tata

Humour, mythology and folk tales find a place in artist Manjunath Kamath’s latest show

Being a witty writer may be hard, but being a witty artist is probably harder. Artist Manjunath Kamath though, makes it seem quite easy with his latest exhibition of drawings and terracotta sculptures, titled Postponed Poems. The artist, who lives and works in New Delhi, has been conceptualising the show for the past five years, trying to provide a contemporary take on old-time sculptures. Kamath uses classic and folk carvings as his inspirations, and recreates them with a twist, adding humour to mythology and history. Apart from these unique and quirky figurines, the show also includes 30 drawings, 9 Indian miniature-style paper works and 15 gold leaf portraits inspired by Buddhist Thangka paintings.

5 Questions with the artist, Manjunath Kamath

  1. Artistic motivations “I would like to believe that creating art is literally in my genes. It’s a God-given gift. What motivates me is that I can take on reality and distort it as I please, and also the feeling of creating something out of nothing.”
  2. Inspirations “I have always been inspired by miniature paintings, traditional sculptures, and age-old artefacts from different civilizations.”
  3. On the wall at home “I am a great admirer of late artist Prabhakar Barve.”
  4. Concerns that find a place in your art “Though beauty exists in variety, I feel globalisation has flattened the plurality of aesthetics all over the world, and somehow we have lost different local/regional flavours. There is a lack of personal expression and individuality.”
  5. If you weren’t an artist, you would be…“I cannot even imagine that scenario.”

Postponed Poems is on display at Gallery Espace, New Delhi (16, Community Centre, New Friends Colony) until February 28, 2015.

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