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Breathing life into sculptures

Many of the landmarks in the city bear his signature

PHOTO: C.V. SUBRAHMANYAM

STATUES IN THE MAKING Venkat with his works at his studio.

"Silalapai silpaalu chekkinaaru ..." The popular song by Ghantasala highlights the role of sculptors in literally breathing life into rocks, and thereby immortalising them for the benefit of posterity. Apart from rocks huge concrete sculptures that double up as living spaces or entertainment zones are the order of the day now.

Many of the major landmarks not only in the city but also in other districts of the State bear the signature of artist Venkat. The imposing statue of Lord Siva and Parvati atop Kailasagiri, the 36-foot high `destiny tower' also known as `pigeon tower' in the VUDA Park, the Dolphin-shaped Children Theatre at Siripuram and the royal elephant at Shilparamam in Hyderabad are some of his awe-inspiring works.

Artist Venkat who has done over 300 sculptures since 1987, is now going slow on Government projects and concentrating more on private projects. He is also planning to hold an exhibition of his works in the near future.

He is presently working on female figures and heads at his aesthetically designed studio at Mindivanipalem near Sontyam on the outskirts of the city. The fibreglass sculptures capture women in different moods. He has also done larger-than-life heads of men in different shapes. Many of these large torsos can be hung on the wall at home!

The fiberglass sculptures are in an advanced stage of completion at the studio. "Once painting is completed they would be ready for installation," he says.

Heads of men and women carved on rounded stones, panels and a few paintings also adorn the workshop. Artist lovers from Netherlands have purchased two of the heads in stone.

Venkat has done a gigantic statue of the mythological figure Kumbhakarna in Penugonda in Anantapur district. Inside the statue is a huge 140 feet hall in which a museum was planned to be set up by the district administration. It is a different issue that the museum plan didn't materialise. The district administration is using the big hall to conduct official meetings.

"I am basically a non-figurative artist, and that was my specialisation in post-graduation in the Benares Hindu University. I was more interested in doing abstracts but had to do human figures and mythological characters as that was the order of the day two decades ago," he says.

"There is great art awareness and appreciation in the city," he says, and attributes this to past Municipal Commissioners S.P. Singh and Sameer Sharma, who had encouraged and supported artists and sculptors during the mid-1980s.

Venkat has a passion to make big sculptures and that is reflected in his works.

B. MADHU GOPAL

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