Inside and Outside of Life: Sculptor with a Thought-provoking Theme

KOCHI:
The crescent moon is a recurring theme in all the works of sculptor Khageswar Rout at the sixth edition of the Kochi-Muziris Biennale.

This artist seeks to explore the internal, external, and shadow aspects of life through light in each of his complex art pieces.

Khageswar’s creations, crafted entirely by hand from natural materials, represent a reinvention of organic materials.

His art installation is on display at the Island Warehouse on Wellingdon Island, one of the venues for India’s most significant art event, which spans the port city.

The materials he uses include clay, stone, and bark, and he analyses the crescent moon’s presence in these entirely handmade works.

The crescent moon stands as a powerful symbol, embodying the intricate duality of existence. It captures the interplay between light and darkness—how light can fade into complete darkness and darkness can transform into whole light.

This unique sculptural expression is deeply intertwined with Khageswar’s artistic vision, highlighting the connection between form and meaning.

Born in 1992 in Bhadrak, Odisha, Khageswar is an artist who delves into the inner secrets of plant forms through clay and is currently based in Kolkata.

He aims to reveal the inner structure of plant life in his sculptures and intentionally creates hollow spaces on their surfaces to achieve this effect.

He likens the experience to architecture, suggesting that a plant opens its windows to us, akin to glimpsing into the human mind, which encompasses both flesh and marrow.

Growth and decay occur simultaneously within the folds and cracks of the plant, a phenomenon he argues is mirrored not only in the body but also in the soul and thought.

While Khageswar’s works highlight the climate crisis and ecological imbalance, they also convey the resilience of nature as a source of hope.

He emphasises that balance in nature is a fundamental aspect of his seemingly fragile clay sculptures.

His artistic installation imparts a powerful message about the profound connection and balance between nature and humanity.