Overview

“In today’s world of mass production, there remain those men and women who work with their hands according to ancient techniques…They give themselves to their craft by vocation, less for material gain than for the esthetic order they find there”

• Collette Brichant

As a strong believer of what is said above, it’salmost 13 years of journey where as a ceramist I have tried to play with permutations and combinations of a myriad forms and delicate glazes that reveals an individual sensibility with complete control of medium and a curiosity for art historical imagery and philosophy. The Gopurams, the Garbagrihas and the lingam/yoni form in the Indian temples triggered series of questions in me about creationism, sexuality, sublimity and spirituality. 

“Silent Shloka” an extension of the Temple Series emerged out of this intensely spiritual experience, which in a way differentiates from religion. This series is not just about the possibilities of the form, but also about the expression of peace  experienced through the form via the white and white nature of the body that is associative with faith and the meditative energy of God.

 “Aesthetic beauty cannot exist unless the heart of the man with good taste is moved to impersonal delight by the fascination of the expression of rasa.”

Ceramic work for me has always been a conceptual sculptural form rather than an object purely meant for a particular function.

My recent work “Silent Shloka” is a reflection of my previous body work which had a distinctive ornamental veneer which constantly challenges me to continuously innovate and create.

In various spiritual traditions, ‘Mandala’ may be employed for focusing attention of aspirants and adepts. This is a spiritual teaching tool for establishing a sacred space and an aid for meditation and trance induction. Its symbolic nature can help one, to progressively access deeper levels of the unconscious, ultimately assisting the meditator to experience a mystical sense of oneness. This ultimate’s the unity from which the cosmos in all its manifold forms arises.

Technically, all the works are wheel thrown and altered stoneware, fired at 1300°C, using a combination of shiny, matt and semi-matt glazes. These are built up in layers prior to firing, to create textural surface with a touch of metal oxides and a flavor of gold and copper luster for embellishments.