KOCHI: His artful hands sculpt with impetus, the magic of human touch, he aesthetically carved her well-curved body. Sculpting is a glorious pursuit of happiness for Kottoor Reghu. He was introduced to the world of colours and shapes in his first grade. The visual rhetoric he creates in his paintings and sculptures snatches anyone’s attention.“Painting is a way of living for me.
I was very fond of colours when I was a kid. My life changed when I met my mentor Raghavan sir in a painting competition. He taught me the first lessons in painting and moulded me to what I am today,” said Reghu.
Reghu was born in a lower middle-class family where his parents earned daily wages. Growing up in difficult financial situations didn’t stop him from pursuing his passion. “Paintings gave light to my darkened life. Being the eldest among my siblings, parents always looked up to me to have a stable job,” Reghu added.
It was when he decided to start sculpting as a side business along with painting, that secured him financial solidity. Reghu claims that sculpting is a more powerful art than literature and painting because it can be touched and felt. According to Reghu, sculpture making doesn’t have to follow any preset rules. “A sculptor is the creator. I am fond of shapes and forms. It gives me immense pleasure and satisfaction to see the output,” said Reghu.
One of his best-known works is the sculpture of the former president, the late A P J Abdul Kalam. He used cloth remnants from stitching centres to forge a canvas. For Reghu, painting has paved a way to enter into the vast world of colours. He has also made sculptures of Hindu idols for temple rituals. He is currently working on sculptures from the history of Christianity.
“Christmas season is going to be hectic. I have already started working on the sculptures for December,” Reghu added. His younger son Ravan Dev is planning to take off his father’s passion cum profession in the future.