Expressions come from deep within; images that have long ago etched themselves in our subconscious, events that effect our lives or simply a floating leaf that catches your fancy one day. In case of V Narasinga Rao, it was the family and social background of coming from a weavers community. His father went to the looms everyday and he watched as his village self sufficed on the cloth they made, the food they grew and the community strength they relied on.The sculptor's latest exhibition 'Loss Lose Lost' stems from this, the imagery used revolving around the texture of the weaver's thread. “I have seen how this thread has tied my community together. Not only that, but it is related to everything, especially agriculture. I come from a family with traditional talents and that has left its unconscious imprint in my mind. I have tried to express that through the sculptures.”The exhibition, which is an abstract amalgamation of sculpted wood, depicts a variety of discombobulated forms - the weaver's thread, flowers from the field, a fruit basket, a kite and so on. Of course, given its abstractness, these could represent different things to every third person. However, the collection, which took the artist one year to make, is a unique way of stating an obvious story.“We are living in a society where we spend our lives on earning material things that we do not even have time to enjoy. More than that, it is costing us important things in life that matter - relationships within our family and immediate society. Hence the title 'Loss Lose Lost'.”The concept first came to Narasinga Rao when he was reading the biography of Gandhi. A believer in the Gandhian principles, he however finds following them a realistic logistical problem.“Our world is so much more complicated than it was. But the Gandhian concept is inspiring and the idea of producing your own cloth was one I grew with and witnessed among my community. My inspiration also comes from my father who worked at the looms. A believer in Gandhi too, he preached and taught us to use what we have and be happy with that.”Keeping to the rustic theme, Narasinga, who earlier used paper, decided to use wood as his medium. “Wood is regenerative unlike stone. I've also limited myself to water colours instead of oil paints.”The artist, who hails from a background devoid of any artistic inclination, took to sculpting in the year 2003 after deciding to change directions and do something challenging. Ask him why sculpting of all the things and he replies, “I guess I had an artistic inclination within me. But the medium I chose was supposed to be something that would last and something that could not be replicated or replaced. Nowadays we have digital paintings and sketchings, but you can't really have a digital sculpture. That was why I chose it.” The artists sculptings will be on display till November 11 at the Icon Art Gallery, Banjara Hills.
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