Journalism of Courage
Pieces of paper are snipped,shredded and packed into layers before artist Ranu Chakraborty turns them into interesting sculptures. The three-dimensional paper artwork by her will be displayed at Malaka Spice from April 1 to 15 . For Chakraborty,these paper sculptures are attempts at experimenting with a different medium. At Malaka Spice,one will find more than 15 pieces that capture the artist’s interpretations of nature. “There is no rigid theme that I have adhered to,most of my work is about forms from nature,” she says.
A graduate from the Government College of Art and Craft,Kolkata,with a specialisation in Indian style painting,Chakraborty got involved with making paper sculptures a decade ago. “My husband,who is an illustrator,was making one of these sculptures. I was immediately fascinated because I always wanted to try out unusual mediums. Moreover,it was challenging as its just made out of paper. Its really something magical,attractive and unbelievable where one simple piece of paper can be turned into a sculpture by giving it three dimensions,by using light and shadows.”
It takes about a month’s time for Chakraborty to finish one sculpture. “I need to make them in layers and since I use paper,I have to be extra careful. It is a job that takes many long hours of work and precise measurement. Sometimes one needs to make a prototype to be sure whether the thought can be physically produced. A small mistake can be a disaster.”
