Artists challenge perceptions of light and darkness in new exhibition
There are times where sculptures as a form are a commentary on society, its evolution, people and how civilisation has come to be.
Sculpting with Light and Darkness is a show curated to represent the political, and metaphysical state of the world
Ina Puri, the exhibit’s curator, brings together three artists unafraid to voice their opinions, to share their perspectives on the ever evolving world around us. “In the oeuvre of KS Radhakrishnan, LN Tallur and Sumakshi Singh, I was delighted to discover an intellectual openness. Here were artists whose ideas and ideology stood defiantly firm and resolute through their decades of practice,” shares Ina.
While artists from the same school of thought or practice bring a shared vision, Ina wanted a collective of artists who represent unique and original ideas through diverse circumstances and works. “The exhibition is in three sections and the ideas on light and darkness spill over to each in unique ways,” adds Ina.
LN Tallur presents works examining the blurred boundaries between human consciousness and artificial intelligence. These sculptures delve into mythology and machine learning, creating a narrative that focuses on the now. “One of the works in the exhibition, Chirag the Chatbot, plays on the idea of a modern-day genie — a voice that listens, obeys, and seems to care. Traditionally, a chirag was rubbed to summon a spirit that fulfilled wishes. Today, we speak to devices like Siri or Alexa with the same trust in invisible intelligence,” elaborates Tallur. While the sculptures have a touch of playfulness, they ask deeper questions about the growing faith in technology and the kinds of gods we are creating.
In another work, Half Horsepower, Tallur connects ancient legend and industrial invention. “The term ‘horsepower’ implies marketing, disguised as mathematics,” he says. “In mythology, Vali’s boon let him absorb half the power of anyone he fought — a divine version of power transfer. Both stories show our belief in systems of power.”
KS Radhakrishnan’s world, by contrast, is filled with tiny bronze figures — nameless people climbing and falling together. “It’s a very basic human phenomenon — people trying to reach out to the light,” he says. Living and working in Delhi, surrounded by migrant workers, inspired him deeply. “These figures are like people I saw around me — searching for identity, struggling for survival. They are anonymous, but their movement carries hope.”
Together, these three artists remind us that light and darkness are not opposites, but two sides of the same truth.
Free entry.
On till December 31, 11 am to 7 pm.
At Kalakriti Art Gallery, Banjara Hills.
