Carving Time at Palette Art Gallery

An artist who contends with surpassing the limitations of the physical constraints of materiality while interrogating notions of perceived reality, power and strength within the history of politics, hybrid forms, and the existence of man. Drawing upon his extensive knowledge of nature, history and anatomy, Rajesh Ram examines perceived material capabilities and how man and herbed forms appear in surprising ways in the haunts of history.
The 40 pieces of stoneware sculptures represent imaginative, fascinating forms, suggesting mathematical perfection to the fusion of half man half animal , while the exterior surfaces reflect dusty ruin amorphousness, in the textures resembling — metaphors for the human experience and where real beauty in all of forms and humans including homo sapiens can be found.
There is a seamless strain of poetics within the juxtaposition of fragility and strength in the stoneware forms that he works with. Within the structure of sculptural vignettes we see a physical duality which unravels as a parallel to the very notions and paradoxes of the human condition. This exhibition is a natural evolution of Rajesh Ram’s sculptural work exploring the physical nature of materials, the place of memory and the politics of human behaviour. Characters leap out of the pages of history. It’s like a melange of memories that have frozen into stoneware sculptures that tell stories of the past woven into present day debacles in politics.
Ram’s Homo Sapien series is a Darwinian delight. He juxtaposes the homo sapiens with Indian temple sculptures. “I have always had a fascination for the roots of human history, it creates an unending curiosity within me,” says Ram. “In this sculpture I am creating a bridge between the past and the present. I have portrayed an erotic figurine style from Indian temple sculptures. I wanted to represent fertility and procreation of civilisations by making these sculptures. Here I have created 10 Homosapien sculptures in different styles and figurations.”
What Ram has done is to create a surreal environment that evokes the spirituality and naturality of the evolution of man within relics of Hinduism in the temple sculptures that create not just a corollary of conversations, but simply add a sense of tranquil contemplation. You may know that you are -sitting on a bench inside this beautiful walled gallery, but the glowing light rays create patterned shadows of the sculptural finesse that Ram conjures to create a whole set of design dynamics that go beyond the banal to carve a visual history that is unique.
Blending religious art and architecture in some works that are wall stories, eschews human and animal depictions, and these constraints seem to be spiritually effective. Visually glorious botanical patterns and small, specific depictions result in something that feels universal. The pillars and arches constructed during the golden age of innovations in math and science, seem to surely feed such stunning decorative geometries. Human Roots and Spacecraft are two works that play with symbolism and geometry.
Carving Time by Rajesh Ram is being showcased at Palette Art Gallery till 11 March.