BANGALORE: The works of national-award winning sculptor Sukhjeet Singh Kukal was on show at A D A Rangamandira till recently. On display were his works in clay, ceramics, silver and wood.
Visually, the exhibition was a feast for the eyes while logically, the art forced one to think beyond the mundane. All works were in the abstract genre and did not follow any specific theme. But, the briefs attached to each work gave it added depth and direction.
The eye-catcher of the exhibition was the work titled ‘With In - and Without’. It was a sculpture made of ceramic but hidden within it were multiple layers of a story. The sculpture looked like a tomb from above; but cleverly placed just under the surface of the sculpture was a mirror, which reflected the detailing under the tomb. This was truly
breathtaking.
The next sculpture that warranted time was also the biggest sculpture on display and titled ‘Mind At Work’. This work did keep the viewers guessing at what the work was as the view changed with each perception. Talking about this piece, Sukhjeet said, “This work tells us about our thinking process. I can’t explain this work in general because each one of us are thinking differently and we all understand this sculpture differently, based on our emotions or our moods.”
Other works that caught the eye were the replicas of monuments in silver. Most artistes refrain from using silver as a medium because of its forbidding prices. But, Sukhjeet has excelled at working with the medium. He said, “First I draw an image of what my sculpture should look like and make a blueprint. Then I take sheets of silver and cut it into various shapes and sizes based on the drawing. I join the pieces together by soldering it. This usually takes a lot of time, and I also need help with this, especially, if I don’t have the right tools to cut silver.”
When City Express spoke to the artist about his evolution as an artist, he said that even as a child he liked playing with stones. “When I was in school, I was passionate about art. I took up drawing as a hobby, but I wasn’t very interested in schooling. However, my parents insisted that I must at least have a degree. So I pursued under graduation in Fine Arts at Jammu University. Here, I fell in love with the subject and continued learning. I pursued graduation in Fine Arts from Delhi University.”
Sukhjeet Singh Kukal teaches Fine Arts at the Kashmir University of Fine Arts. He is planning to hold another travelling exhibition of his sculptures in early 2012 .