His sculptures and installations fashioned out of junk metal are permanent displays at malls, institutions, homes and offices in Mumbai, Bengaluru and Ahmedabad. And you may soon see his mammoth bulls, camels, horses, rabbits and birds adorn the insides of Metro stations in Bengaluru. Ilyas Ahmed, 46, can tame any metal and create astonishing art out of it. The price of his art works ranges from `1 lakh to `10 lakh.
Ahmed’s art was born of his desire to quench the avidity of his creative urges. As a 24-year-old, his life on the sea, when he was working with a Dutch oil exploration firm as an oil field welder, was where his creative quest found its medium. “There was no media—wood, clay or stone, to work on. That is when I noticed discarded machines from where I picked a few nuts and bolts and started making miniature bikes,” he says.
Utilising his connate sense of form, nuggets of technicalities learnt from an unfinished course at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishad and the nuances of welding acquired from his brief stint as an aviation welder with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, his art soon became popular among the crew. “Whenever we docked in any country, my works of art would sell immediately,” he says.
He found a business hand in a British engineer. “Robin Reeves would pick my creations and sell them in the UK,” Ahmed says.
His imagination rose to match the growing demand for his works. From six-inch sculptures, his creation extended to 12 feet. In 1997, he started working for the firm on a part-time basis. In 2001, Ahmed decided to quit the waters and return home to Bengaluru. Today, he has three galleries. “My main workshop is in Bengaluru but I have galleries in Ahmedabad and one in Mumbai, in association with Phoenix Mall,” he says.
He heads a team of three, and his sculptures are in demand purely through word of mouth. “I had the opportunity to display my sculpture at the Kala Ghoda Arts Festival in south Mumbai. It is not easy to qualify for a display opportunity, but I was invited by the organisers,” he beams.
Choosing the material from the nature of requirement, he essentially works with chromium content metal, which does not corrode. And these include nuts, bolts, springs, as well as vehicle spare parts. “If a company comes forward with a requirement, I look at the nature of their business. For example, for MICO Engineers, which is a company involved in the design and application of brake systems and components, I used only spark plugs to come up with a sculpture. Similarly, I used only watch cases for Titan,” Ahmed explains. He adds that he uses advanced techniques like Tungsten Inert Gas welding and MIG. “I have also done a course from American Welding Society in the US in underwater welding,” Ahmed shares.
He is now planning to work on kinetic sculptures, where parts of the piece move with the wind.
Though his art has found more appreciation abroad, Ahmed says the scenario in India is also changing. “The markets where I get appreciation and remuneration are the US, the UK, Netherlands and Spain. At home, I have plenty of people who support either by lending a place for me to work or in some other way,” he adds.
Ahmed also mentors artists. “Recently, I took about 15 artists from Bengaluru for an Ahmedabad show. There are so many good artists here, but due to lack of marketing and the humongous obstacles en route to finally being applauded, it is easy to feel disheartened,” he says.
Ahmed is also planning to teach aspiring sculptors. “Now, it is time for others to take it forward,” he says.