Sculptures, however, are not the first thing that comes to mind when art is thought about, but as an art form, it is prominent. The problem lies in the fact of how they are restricted and are only seen in selected places.
Sculpting is a traditional art form that involves carving the materials and later moulding them into masterpieces. But, Ruchika Grover who was a self-taught artist has her interest in stone, primarily, blossomed at the age of 14 when she began travelling with her father, a stone merchant, to rock formations and quarries.
She recently created her recent collection called Sva Drishti. On being asked about the inspiration and the secret behind the exhibition, she reveals, “I thoroughly enjoy solitude and being amidst nature. The continuum and anemone are a part of the aqueous series and the Bodhi is a part of the Foliage series inspired by my time-spent scuba diving and exploring the veining on leaves.”
Ruchika expresses her interest in using digital technologies with human techniques, to which she explains that she wanted to achieve forms that evoke enquiry about the process and confound the viewer.
Sculpting is regarded as one of the artforms that requires precision to the minute level. She details the challenges as, “I like to let a thought marinate in my head - and then revisit it multiple times over a few months. Ironically, conceptualizing and putting this together continues to force me to look inward and remove the clutter.”
Her work combines the complexity of digital fabrication with the humanism of traditional handcraft. But in an attempt to mix the two, the originality is lost. She elaborates on the same saying; “I try and achieve traditional forms through modern methods, modern forms through traditional methods or a combination. Everything is recycled and what might have been considered original 1000 years back is a recycled version of something 2000 years back.”
The installations are inspired from the leaves of their namesake tree.
The sculptures highlight the often-overlooked vein networks on leaf surfaces that were carved out of Absolute Black Granite and Carrara White Marble, featuring an antique brass. Some of her installations also celebrate water - its inherent energy and dynamism. Her works are also marked by sinuous curves, it immortalizes sea waves and currents.
Every artist goes through ups and downs in their artistic career be it criticism or a mental block. When asked about how she dealt with criticism, she reveals that it depends on the motivation behind it. She then adds, “If the intent is malign, destroy, morally judge or if it is coming from a space of ignorance, I would ignore it. I am open to criticism, which would help me identify my limitations and open my perspective.”
A phenomenon has been on the horizon as politics does sneak its way through venturing into art. On the issue of politics venturing into art, she opines, “Any form of art, is a fabulous medium to express.”
“If an artist is politically aligned and expresses it through their work, it is up to the viewer to see it as a form of expression and the artist's opinion and take an informed opinion. It boils down to tolerance and respecting each other”, she adds.
She advises budding artists to seek magic and embrace the journey and concludes.
The sculptures would be on display at the Odyssey Abstractions in Stone, Noida.
