Sculpting Expressions

The 20-year-old is speech and hearing impaired from birth and suffers from a rare genetic condition.

Providing Lokesh with formal education was difficult for Anushka. “I tried to take him to speech therapy sessions,but they never worked for him,” recalls Anushka. “He would often fall sick and couldn’t manage to keep up.” However,once he made his first sculpture,Anushka encouraged him to pursue it.

“There was a place in Jaipur where professional artists would come and work. I took him to that place,where he met sculptor Himmat Shah,who later became his mentor. He would sit with him and watch how Himmat worked,” says Anushka.

Anushka started exhibiting Lokesh’s work in Jaipur. “People would not believe the sculptures were made by a 20-year-old. Once a woman came home and asked Lokesh to sketch something for her. He handled it beautifully,” she says. Lokesh drew an elaborate sketch of a foot and explained the different stages of life through it. “There is really no limit to his imagination. Perhaps because his thought process wasn’t restricted by formal education,” she says.

The mother-son duo spend hours,discussing in sign-language what Anushka sees in her son’s work.

Sharmila recalls Anushka’s account of a conversation with her son when he walked away smiling,shaking his head at his mother’s limited imagination.

“His work centres around the fluidity of a form such as water or air,which he connects to a face. His maturity is reflected in his work,” says Sharmila. The bronze and brass sculptures depict the different moods of the human face,she adds.

“People think art is only for the rich and famous. Though every artist cannot make it to a gallery,they all need encouragement,” Sharmila says.

amruta.lakhe@expressindia.com