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Journalism of Courage
It’s likely that a Hemi Bawa show will be all about glass,however,the artist did pull a surprise in 2005 when jewellery accompanied her glass torsos,and earlier in 1996 when her sculpture of the Coca-Cola bottle generated massive interest during the Atlanta Olympics. Those who headed to Emporio Mall at Vasant Kunj for her ongoing show were surprised by the sheer scale of the sculptures that are almost six feet tall.
At the centre of the atrium is School Children,the almost-life-size installation in fiberglass. Seated in a rickshaw,with bags on the shoulder and notebooks on their lap,the bare-bodied figures in black are inspired by children Bawa meets en route from her Hailey Road home to her studio in Faridabad. One day I decided to cast them in glass, says Bawa,61,who was conferred the Padma Shri earlier this year. For her art,tonnes of waste glass shards from factories across Noida are delivered to her studio each month.
Most of the collection is an outcome of impulsive thought. Thats one reason why the exhibition,conceived over three years,does not have a central theme. Seated in one corner is Inner Feelings,a fiberglass figure,again cast in black. It has a rectangular glass piece fused on its back,with images of a figure running as if to break free. Reflecting a desire for tranquility is Hundred Buddhas,numerous tear-drop-shaped glass sculptures fused with images of the Buddha.
The victims of the tsunami are remembered in a cast glass installation with heads piled in a Kerala houseboat while Oil and Guns depicts the rise in violence,with no place out of its reach. There is no relief anywhere. Art is a reflection of the surroundings, says Bawa. On some occasions,though,she allows a glimpse of her self. The Me series,for instance,has her photographs transferred on to glass. But in most other works,the protagonists remain unidentified. Several turned away disappointed when informed that the busts of four uniformed men,titled Soldier,placed at the entrance,were Unknown Soldiers. It could be any solider fighting for the nation, says Bawa.
The show is on at Emporio till today. It will be at Polka Art Gallery from August 9 to 23 and Gallerie Alternatives from August 26 to September 10.
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