Sculptors give shape to new ideas at Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi

Bhubaneswar: Beautifying a platform on the lawns of Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi, is a unique sculpture, prepared by Gyanesh Mishra, using stone and steel. He completed it in eight days during a workshop in the capital city.

The workshop kicked off on March 6 with 18 sculptors from different parts of Odisha, chiseling the stones and carving their ideas.

“I have been seeing sculpting since childhood. We all know the historical significance of sculptures. Every temple in our state has been beautified with wonderful stone carvings and we have to preserve this art form through all means possible,” said Gyanesh.

Young artist Uma Shankar Dash sculpted solar eclipse with a knob that depicts eclipse when rotated. In an accident last year, he lost one of his legs but he refused to bow down to circumstances and continued sculpting.

Raghunath Mohapatra, president of Odisha Lalit Kala Akademi and an eminent sculptor from Odisha, said there is rarely any sculpting workshop. “There are numerous painting exhibitions and workshops where these traditional craftsmen and sculptors seldom get a chance to showcase their work. Here, I have given them the independence to give shape to their thoughts and ideas,” he said.

He thinks this workshop has been a great platform for the exchange of contemporary and traditional ideas. “It also gave exposure to artists like Abhimanyu Ojha, who has won state award for carrying forward the legacy of traditional sculpting,” he said, adding, the outcome is beautiful.

The workshop draws to a close this evening.