When Nature, Culture and Man play the muse

“The Sands of Time II” sculpture exhibition delves into the fluidity of time, drawing inspiration from both mundane daily occurrences and profound socio-political events. The artistic brilliance of Rahul Modak and S. Kantha Reddy shines through, honed by their invaluable experiences in Shantiniketan. Meanwhile, the budding artist Kundan Singh embarks on his creative odyssey with a remarkable vision that holds great promise.

“Working primarily in clay, my art is deeply inspired by Nature, a profound influence of my village upbringing and studies in Shantiniketan,” says Rahul Modak. The artist, who was raised in Bengal and currently resides in Delhi, says, “Nature, to me, is a cherished teacher. I embrace art as a perpetual challenge, requiring unwavering consistency. As a Shantiniketan student, I perceive dry leaves as symbols of renewal rather than decay, heralding new beginnings around the corner."

This is the first time during the 15 years of his career as an artist so far that Rahul is exhibiting his work in Hyderabad.

Kundan Singh, hailing from Palamu district in Jharkhand, is a recent graduate from the University of Hyderabad. He shares, “As a fresher, this is my first show, and I’m excited to showcase Jharkhand’s ancient tribal culture and rural folk art.”

His work reflects cave art from Jharkhand, including the Munda tribe’s “Moon God” crafted in ceramic, titled “Reflection of the Moon”. He adds, “My mission is to breathe life into tribal culture and rekindle the fading embers of tribal art.”

Unlike the other two, S. Kantha Reddy was born and raised in Hyderabad. One of the first sculptors from the Telugu speaking states to receive the Lalit Kala Akademi Award, Kantha has 25 years of experience under her belt.

“Initially, my work revolved around realism, but after pursuing my masters at Shantiniketan, I realized the importance of incorporating social and economic aspects. My work explores how humans accept or reject certain things,” explains the artist, who is currently serving as the HOD of the Sculpture department at JNAFAU. “My sculptures portray the dichotomy between our thoughts and reality,” Kantha adds.