JOIN USCultural aspects also influence sculpture, says expert
Various cultural aspects that influence sculpture were discussed at a programme held at Rangayana premises, here, on Sunday.
Speaking at a programme on ‘Traditional and contemporary sculpture’, organised by Mysore Art Gallery and Karnataka Shilpakala Academy, M N Prabhakar, sculpture expert, said, local traditions and practices have affected architecture, especially in religious buildings.
In Southern India, the architecture of a temple is of utmost importance, as more devotees are drawn towards the deities installed at a temple. However, in Northern India, a whole town attains religious significance rather than one temple, he said.
In Northern India, devotees are allowed to enter the temple and touch the idol of the deity. In South India, priests are integral and all major rituals are performed by them. These cultural factors directly influence sculptures, he said.
Speaking on the differences between traditional and contemporary sculpture, he advised young sculptors to be aware of such differences. He briefed about various terminologies used by ancient sculptors, to make their works relevant and close to literary works related to them.He said, several features of sculpture have been mentioned in ancient Indian texts, indicating the prowess India had achieved in the art form.
“Even though sculpture has continued to be an art, theory of the art form is not appreciated by many. With good knowledge of theory on the subject, it would be easier to depict popular works of literature in sculpture,” he said.
Exhibition
An exhibition of various sculptures from different artistes of the region was inaugurated at Lankesh Art Gallery, in Rangayana premises. V A Deshpande, Dean of Chamarajendra Academy of Visual Arts, inaugurated the exhibition.
Wax, stone, fibre and metal sculptures by artistes from CAVA, Kalaniketan, etc were on display. While a section of the exhibition was of traditional sculptures, another dealt on contemporary themes. Photographs of popular Indian sculptures were also on display.
The exhibition will conclude on August 12.