THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: An art work inspires people in many ways. One such work is Kanayi Kunhiraman’s Sagarkanya (mermaid). Many have travelled from distant places to see it and many of them have left inspired. But Biju C G didn’t have to travel a huge distance to watch the marvel. Biju, who lives a few metres away from the sculpture, had the good fortune to see the it taking shape in the deft hands of Kanayi in the late 90’s. It inspired him to become a sculptor himself, but of a different kind.
If Kanayi goes in for huge sculptures, Biju creates wonderful miniature ones and that too using bathing soap. He has made more than 100 miniature models in soaps in the last ten years and have exhibited most of it at the Museum auditorium. He claims it to be state’s first soap sculpture exhibition. Visitors can find the heavily built ‘Kattappa’, a popular character from the movie Baahubali, holding the young protagonist. The soap sculpture has a size of just 6x7.5x3 cm. Similarly there is Kabali, Sachin Tendulkar, J Yesudas etc. Biju has made a miniature Sagarkanya (5.5x9.5x3 cm). This he plans to gift it to Kanayi when he visits the stall.
Biju began drawing at a young age. Thermocol thrown away by the domestic airport near his home inspired him to make creative models out of it. Later he became a sand artist and created magic on Shanghumukham beach before shifting his focus to soaps. The MCA graduate took his passion to Qatar where he is employed as a 3D visualiser. “It is a great stress buster. It takes 3 to 5 hours to make one. I have preserved all my works from the last 10 years,” said Biju. He conducted an exhibition in Qatar.
Biju has a smart way of connecting with art lovers. He makes sculptures inspired by news and posts it on Facebook. He is yet to sell his works. “We need to preserve it in a box to keep the material from disintegrating. May be at a later stage I will start thinking about sales,” said Biju.