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Journalism of Courage
The Chandigarh Carnival is over,but a 10-feet sculpture of Buddha will remain at the venue as a work of public art
A resounding success,on Sunday it was pack up time at the three-day Chandigarh Carnival that took place at Leisure Valley. The stalls were dismantled and swings moved out,but what still exists as a reminder of the festival is a 10-feet tall sculpture of Buddha,sitting near the Museum Outreach Centre. The artists,JP Singh and Abaninder Singh,have decided to gift it to the venue,that currently has on display sculptures which are abstract in nature. We wanted to create public art of a kind which the city has not seen so far. We travelled and researched extensively to zero in on something soul-stirring, says JP,who teaches photography and graphics at the Government College of Art,Chandigarh.
The inspiration,JP says,came from the fact that there was no sculpture of Buddha in the city. So he carefully studied the Ajanta Caves,where he looked at the details of 28 works dedicated to Buddha. The one that interested him most was a sculpture of Buddha in a meditative pose. Many people meditate with their eyes open in front of this sculpture and find inner peace, says JP.
Weighing two quintals,the sculpture made with clay and plaster of Paris,took almost two months to complete. The resin-coated work,in off-white colour,has been given a slightly rough texture to ensure that it is not affected by the weather conditions. Unfortunately,it is already damaged,as people wanting to photograph it climbed onto its lap and shoulders during the Carnival. We will have to touch it up now, says JP,hoping that the Buddha will find a peaceful place in the city.
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