Story-telling dance-based sculptures
As part of the MA research, I have worked on a series of sculptures inspired by a dance called Kathak. I have been researching this Kathak dance, originated from the travelling bards of North India who are referred to as Kathakars or storytellers. The Kathakars communicate stories through rhythmic foot movements, hand gestures, facial expressions, and eye work, as a form of sign language. I have incorporated these expressive dance movements into these sculptures, while at the same time keeping the theme identity as a jigsaw puzzle. I have made five sculptures based on the greeting of this dance.
In these sculptures I attempt to bridge the contemporary with the traditional by choice of materials used and concept of the work. The copper strips around the sculptures almost frame the work like a painting. The bells that the Kathak dancers wear on their legs are made of copper. Kathak dancers wear very vibrant outfits during the performance, hence the bright colours of the sculptures.
Part of the Katharkers series had been shown at an earlier stage in the making at the Dock Arts Center, Carrick-On-Shannon, Co. Leitrim, in 2019. Then later shown as part of FUTURES Exhibition Series 3, Episode 3, November 2019 to January 2020, curated by Patrick T. Murphy and Ruth Carroll and my Ma graduate show, Art and Research Collaboration (ARC) MA Degree programme unassembled, January 2020, curated by Julia Moustacchi.
Lab Gallery Unassembled ARC MA exhibition January 2020- curated by Julia Moustacchi
A kathak dancer always starts her/his performance by preforming greeting. I have chosen this specific greeting part to make my sculpture and the gesture of this part reads as follows:
My dear musicians on my right and my technicians on my left With this I come on the rangmanch / the stage showered with the blessings of gods and goddesses above Rooted to my traditions that teaches me about sensibilities and legacy I bear in my heart and my mindWith is new found knowledge from my gurusMay I absorb assimilate and move forward with my art in to the world of sharing
Story-Telling Dance Performance
For my final MA show, I invited Ms. Dhaniya Kiran, a classical Indian dancer to perform amongst the static sculpture. I worked in collaboration with Dhaniya, on a story and the dance performance.
