G Ravinder Reddy explores femininity and perfection in new solo art show
Gallery Sumukha celebrates its three-decade anniversary with In Search Of The Perfect Image — a solo art show by G Ravinder Reddy, an internationally acclaimed artist and sculptor. The showcase is a collection of old and new monumental sculptures that honour femininity. His iconography boasts luminous colours, extensive use of polyester resin fibreglass and life-sized heads. The latter, in Ravinder’s words, wraps nature in its elaborately coiffed bun, bedecked with dominant and unique flower arrangements and jewellery, complemented by a flow of breeze. In conversation with Ravinder and Dr Premilla Baid, founder-director of Gallery Sumukha, we receive valuable insights about the exhibits, his perspective on women and the journey of Gallery Sumukha.
Take us through the exhibits and how do they reflect the theme?
G Ravinder Reddy: We have three heads — an old one in terracotta and two fibreglass ones — the iconic Portrait of Parvati and Sridevi — a smaller gilded head, along with four wall reliefs that were made over the past eight to nine months. They reflect a desire for perfection, but it remains elusive. Similarly, when I am sculpting a woman, I am also trying to carve a perfect image. For instance, when a woman ties her bun, she keeps struggling to shape and size it in multiple attempts, eventually feeling unhappy. This is her way of desiring a perfect image.
What was your idea behind compiling these exhibits?
Ravinder: The terracotta one is meant to show how it sustains and remains an aesthetic medium. Fibreglass is a 19th-century industrial glass to which we add polyester resin and chemicals, along with the chosen colours, to mould it into the desired shape. Unlike rocks, this material is devoid of any aesthetic appeal, which must be moulded and given an aesthetic appeal. I have drawn inspiration from every corner of the world — be it the bronze Chola sculptures, the Buddhist monuments at Sarnath, the Egyptian pharaohs and Africa’s Benin bronzes. These have stood for years and people from different religious backgrounds continue to visit and admire them. I look at how these pieces were made and why they have sustained to date. There is also a heavy influence from the Gupta and Maurya dynasties, folk art, raja Ravi Varma’s calendar prints, print advertisements and posters of Indian film stars.
What significance does ‘the female head’ hold to you as an artwork?
Ravinder: The head is commonly recognisable among different sections of society. If it is in front of you even for a second, you cannot avoid it. Without reference to any particular social hierarchy, I want the audience to interpret it based on their experience, anthropolo gical knowledge, societal understanding and education. I try to combine various dimensions, such as volumes, textures, concave and convex shapes and colours — to create a perfect image that the viewer experiences and wants to look at again.
What does feminism mean to you and how have you interpreted it in these exhibits?
Ravinder: I am not saying that feminism is good or bad. Since ancient times, shakti is derived from the feminine; without her, there is no world. It depends on the intention with which you are looking. I see strength in the different forms of women I have come across in life and have incorporated them into my sculptures. Women have survived so many prejudices and tortures across cultures, yet remained in the universe as givers. I have depicted women in various roles: a giver, a lover, a friend and a boon to the nation or the world.
What has drawn you to using your signature colour palette across your works?
Ravinder: These are our basic colours. You’ll see these basic colours woven by artisans across the length and breadth of our country — textiles like saris, dupattas and bed sheets; and flowers like marigold, rose and jasmine are filled with bright colours. The taziya celebrations, temples and houses use these colours. So, I thought, why not just use these basic colours that we are so passionately associated with, instead of pastel shades, which don’t originally belong to our society?
In retrospect, what do you feel about the journey of Gallery Sumukha and how do you see it functioning in the future?
Premilla Baid: I think we’ve grown very slowly but at a constant pace. We’ve been very consistent with what we’ve been doing. We aim to produce as much serious art as possible and to continue supporting many young artists.
Entry free. On till October 3, 10.30 am to 6 pm. At Wilson Garden.
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