HANAMKONDA: Pushing the boundaries of precision craftsmanship, renowned micro sculptor Ajay Kumar Mattewada from Warangal unveiled his new creation — a miniature sculpture of Lord Nataraja inside the eye of a needle, measuring 0.70 mm tall and 0.55 in width.
Crafted with meticulous detail and viewable only through a microscope, Ajay, aged 51, employed an array of materials including plastic powder, nylon fragments, soft wax, caterpillar hair for colouring, and even 24-carat gold.
Ajay shared that sculpting Nataraja Swamy’s hair was one of the most difficult tasks. In the miniature sculpture, Lord Nataraja is seen trampling upon a demon shown as a dwarf (Apasmara), measuring 0.09 mm. He said that he spent over 145 hours over the period of three months to sculpt the idol.
The artist’s works will be showcased on a global stage at the 10th World Art Dubai-2024, set to take place at the World Trade Center in Dubai from May 2 to 5. Amongst 400 artists from 65 nations, Ajay Kumar will present his collection of miniature sculptures, including the newly unveiled Nataraja Swamy masterpiece.
Ajay was born in Warangal in 1973 into a family of goldsmiths. He shared that he started learning to design jewellery and sculpt micro arts from the age of 14 from his father.
“Micro sculpting requires moments of breath-holding, as even the slightest disturbance can disrupt the delicate work of capturing finer details. Hence, I practise yoga and breathing exercises every day. This work requires an immense amount of focus, often to the extent of tuning out one’s surroundings, despite the strain it places on the eyes and the headache it causes. I refraining from even blinking for long periods of time to ensure precision. The tools I use are incredibly delicate and fragile, demanding skilled manipulation to craft these miniature artworks,” he explained.
Ajay claimed that he ranks as the third person globally to craft such intricate miniature art. His creations have garnered praise from current and former prime ministers PV Narasimha Rao, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, and Narendra Modi, as well as chief ministers and numerous other public figures.
He acknowledged his wife Sravanthi, son Vaibhav Kumar, daughter Vaishali, and other family members as his primary critics, whose feedback he values greatly in honing his skills.
Ajay shared that prior to embarking on a micro-sculpture project, he dedicates approximately a month to preparation by planning the design, materials required, size and visualising the end result.
He said that he drew inspiration from renowned British micro-sculptor Willard Wigan, particularly his works created within the eye of a needle.
