From scrap to sacred

Coming from a small town, Narayan Sinha was always inspired by things around him – not only when it came to the final shape of his artworks, but also the raw materials he used to achieve that excellence in creating them. Made from items that are considered as discards such as automobile parts, fuel tanks of kerosene stoves, stove burners, metal scrap, old locks, mousetraps etc, his collection Debi weaves a story that resonates with culture and tradition. Narayan draws inspirations from his native place, Nalhati. This seems evident in his depiction of goddess and deities. “When I was a kid, I got the inspiration from the things that surrounded me. It was mainly the idols of the Goddess Durga in the temples and the pictures in the old calendars that pushed me towards creativity and formed my foundation,” shares Narayan. The multi-dimensional art project that portrays Goddess Durga in her various avatars, took six years to complete. Narayan believes that the project is not just about godly forms of Durga, but also about the festivity surrounding it. “The show will provide a cinematic experience to the viewers with a combination of lighting, a video installation and the whole interior of the place, along with the sculpture installations. They will get a chance to witness how people experience religion at the grassroots level. Also, the exhibition is a tribute to craftsmanship, as it’ll provide a firsthand view of what the idol goes through from start to finish,” adds Narayan. Ever since he was a kid, Narayan was fascinated with metal, that he realised on his numerous visits to factories in his hometown. “I love metal and I believe metal loves me. But I never thought that I would create my artworks out of metal. It was only after I graduated in science, I started using nuts, bolts, metal tanks and any kind of metal form to create my artworks,” he shares An avid traveler, he collects materials from all over India. Talking about his choice of materials that he uses to create his artworks, he adds, “I have a concern to preserve culture. I use objects that have been a part and parcel of our tradition. People make fun of me and call me a scrap hero. But collecting and sourcing material is a tedious process. I do not collect randomly. There are thoughts and methods behind my choice of materials that may appear to be discards in the eyes of viewers. Every piece I collect has a purpose. So I am not just a junk collector.” The exhibition is on till November 15 in Art Alive Gallery, Gurgaon.