Sculptor with unique style
By Anjana Datta
SCULPTURE in modern times has remained more or less subservient to paintings. There is, however, a younger generation of artists who have taken on the challenge and preoccupy themselves with sculpture as an art.

Poet, playwright of Himachal
By Ramesh K. Dhiman
HIMACHAL PRADESH, the land of snow, is a Mecca for tourists and pilgrims of sorts. Its gorgeous, snowy hills, the serene rivers and serenading streams, meandering through the mystifying meadows and virgin valleys and, to cap it all, its alluring alpine pastures, have inspired philosophers, writers, poets, painters and, of course, the incurable nature lovers, to slip into its sylvan surroundings and explore its unspoilt charms.

Revival of English theatre
THE Chandigarh Amateur Dramatics Society has put out an appeal for the revival of English theatre. The brainchild of Amrit Mundy and under the guidance of its patron W.C Thakur, the society has developed from weekly readings and appraisals of purist playwrights to its first production "Birthday Honours" by Paul Jones a traditional, hilarious comedy.

Sculptor with unique style
By Anjana Datta

SCULPTURE in modern times has remained more or less subservient to paintings. There is, however, a younger generation of artists who have taken on the challenge and preoccupy themselves with sculpture as an art.

One such artist is Seema Mishra, a City Beautiful-based artist who wants to give the public a well-defined perspective into the existing and ongoing trends in the contemporary Indian art of sculpture making.

Seema sculpts in clay and terracotta. Her art is extensive and profound. Her sculptures are works of artistic expression. Infused with refinement and vitality, her work is full of intense expressiveness. Her sculptures are aimed at making an awe-inspiring and exciting impression on the spectators, rousing emotions and strong religious feelings. They are more realistic and less idealised.

Seema seems to have a fascination for body-topography be it a female statue, the bust of the Buddha, a human torso or an animal. The most impressive of these statues is probably the sculpture of the female body — a sensuously elegant piece of classical art. It is a statue of a typical Indian “nayika” — standing in “dvi-bhanga” (two flexions in the body) applying “kumkum” and getting ready for her “nayak”. Straight and dignified, it is a picture of great physical beauty and appeal proportioned to the smallest details expressing a ideal beauty of form.

The female figure’s mild eyes, small nose and mouth, slender and well-built arms, all harmonise beautifully with one another in order to produce a delicate, graceful and well-balanced form. The carving is extremely skilful and elaborate.

Her another piece, a female torso, displays flamboyant beauty in full volume.

Inspired by the male dancing torso of the Indus Valley civilisation, Seema has given it a touch of Shalbhanjika Yakshi with its rounded feminine assets — full breasts and paunch — symbolising fertility. There is a complete absence of limbs. The emphasis in on the vital force of the most central part of the body. The body shows delicate, elastic delineations. The general effect is of calmness, dignity and nobility. The size of the body has been restricted by the artist in order to let the viewer appreciate the art piece through personal contact.

Likewise, the bust of the Buddha, another outstanding piece of her art, represents a type of image that had once had a tremendous influence of the Buddhist art of Asia. Serene and calm and produced with exquisite detail and astonishing exactness, it is a fine example of Seema’s skill as a sculptor.

Like a true sculptor, Seema is a keen observer too. She spends a considerable time in observing human forms, nature and things around her. As she says, “It is after much contemplation that these works have been made.” She seizes a momentary expression or attitude and reproduces it in clay with wonderful accuracy skill. She feels that the way in which she actually handles the clay and the way she moulds it with her thumb and fingers is expressive and interesting in itself. “Such effects are very much admired by the lovers of art,” she claims.

Seema’s style is individualistic. She doesn’t want to produce the same kind of sculpture as she sees it. She wants to be different. Says she, “Though I am inspired by pieces of art made by others. I never copy these. I look at my work with fresh eyes, and attempts to do things which in some cases have not been done before.” And she executes various pieces of sculpture in her own style. “I simply indulge in this art in order to satisfy my creative urge and aesthetic sensibility. I feel that I can best express my own vision and sense of reality through this medium,” she remarks.

Seema prefers to concentrate on small figures. According to her, it is difficult to handle large figures and they have to be supported by a post or a tree. Whereas the smaller ones can easily be dismembered without losing their credibility.

Another characteristic of her works is that there is no synoptic presentation of events. Each piece of her works enjoys an artistic autonomy, independence of its setting and environment.

Clay is the medium she loves to play with. Says she, “There is much scope in terracotta as it is easy to dismantle and handle. Moreover, the initial investment is also very low and interest in the work is maintained throughout as it takes only four to six hours to make a piece.”

Seema is a born artist, or should we say, a natural artist. She began her stint with sculptures right from her childhood. As a child she loved to play with clay and had a special kind of sensibility for shapes and forms. She tried to give some solid physical actuality to these forms and soon developed an interest in sculpture. Seeing her interest in this art, she was encouraged by her parents to learn the craft or this art.

A product of National Open School, New Delhi, she did graduation from Apeejay College of Fine Arts at Jalandhar and specialised in commercial art. Later, she did post-graduation in History of Arts from Panjab University Chandigarh, and even taught at the Apeejay College of Fine Arts as an Assistant Lecturer in sculpture for sometime. In order to attain perfection in her style, she visited a few famous art galleries and museums of the country.

She made a few pieces of her art and showed them at various exhibitions. She also participated in several arts competitions and won numerous prizes, mementoes, medals and shields for her works. There was a good coverage of her work on TV and in newspapers.

But Seema realised that it’s next to impossible to make it as a newcomer. “Everybody runs after big names. They are ready to shell out lakhs of rupees for a single piece of a big artist. But for the newcomer, it is a along road to go ahead,” she remarks.

She, therefore, has decided to dive into the commercial art firmament. But sculpture is her forte. “I shall continue to sculpt to express my inner feelings and emotions,” she avers.

At present, Seema is a faculty member of the Institute of Tourism and Future Management Trends at Chandigarh and teaches the art of sculpture. Belonging to a family with no art background, it’s exemplary of Seema’s art that she has been able to carve a niche for herself so soon in the cultural and art scene of the country. Her father, Dr S.B.S. Mishra, is a Professor and Head of the Department of Applied Chemistry at Dr B.R. Ambedkar Regional Engineering College at Jalandhar and her mother is a housewife.

Seema hopes to be recognised as a leading artist of India someday. And, she plans to hold a solo exhibition of her works at Chandigarh in the near future.

Poet, playwright of Himachal
By Ramesh K. Dhiman

HIMACHAL PRADESH, the land of snow, is a Mecca for tourists and pilgrims of sorts. Its gorgeous, snowy hills, the serene rivers and serenading streams, meandering through the mystifying meadows and virgin valleys and, to cap it all, its alluring alpine pastures, have inspired philosophers, writers, poets, painters and, of course, the incurable nature lovers, to slip into its sylvan surroundings and explore its unspoilt charms.

Amongst the new tribe of upcoming poets, Sagar Singh Bhuria’s name, a poet of love, lore and longing, is worth mentioning. The multi-lingual Himachali poet, Bhuria (42) has penned lyrical poems and plays in Kangri dialect and also in Devnagri and Gurmukhi.

The folksy rural folk is the subject of Bhuria’s musings, which is explicitly reflected in his rich compositions. The genre of poetry that Bhuria has fiercely stuck to, is not guided by any meters or parameters and is devoid of the trappings of a conventional poetry. Many a poem and play of this prolific poet-playwright have appeared in local dailies and magazines.

Hare-bharre jungle, Uchche-uchche parbat, wich darya da kinara ho... (Himachal is dotted with sprawling jungles, imposing hills and delightful dales, skirted by serene river shores), Hukke wich gur-gur kari janda, Baddiya noohan nei lari janda... (an old decrepit man picks up a quarrel with his eldest daughter-in-law as he puffs off at his hubble-bubble), Paharan wich jan waleya, Paharan wich paundi sardi ho, Garam kapre payee liyan, Garam payee liyan vardi ho... (a newly-married village belle cautions her soldier-husband, who is living for the battle front in the now-bound hills, against the wayward weather. With tear-filled eyes, she tells him to take along, his woollen uniform, which would guard him against the snow and chilly winds, which, indeed is an anguished cry of a forlorn heart), Chalo-chaliye, Asan melle yo jana, Hathan’ch kangan, Kanne jhumka pana... (Fairs and festivals are the warp and woof of a typical Himachali folklife. A young married woman adores her wrists with bangles of brilliant hues and ears with beautiful earrings, before going to the village fair), to name a few of his poems.

Hailing from Kathak village under Baijnath teshil of Kangra district, Bhuria is gifted with a powerful style of writing. The down-to-earth poet has beautifully portrayed the pangs and passions of a common man, caught up in the whirlwind of abject poverty and hunger.

(“Udte Panchhi” is a penetrating portrayal of a “free bird” and its flighty journey into the vast horizon. These birds of a feather flock together in the sky, disseminating a clear and loud message of “universal brotherhood”. “Premi Aatma” vividly depicts the immortal love between the two loving souls — indeed an ode to true love.

“Pathar Tornewala” is a poignant poem which unfolds the unending trials and tribulations that the daily wage earner lives through. In this long poem, Bhuria has delved deep into the psyche of a manual labourer engaged in stone-cutting and paints a true-to-life picture of his enduring saga of struggles. He overworks at the cost of his failing health and responsibilities of hearth and home.

Bhuria, whose lyrical compositions may take you on a nostalgic journey into the charming land of the hills and snow, has also composed timeless liturgical verses, which is a virtual bonanza of “bhajans” and “shabads” for the “bhagtas”.

The lush green fields of wheat, the vivacious, singing and dancing youth of Punjab, constituting the cultural mosaic of this prosperous state, too, have inspired the poet and playwright in Bhuria. He has composed purposeful poems in Gurmukhi. In “Judd Khetan nu Dekhan main Jawan”, Bhuria paints a typical rural Punjab, the land of five rivers, with the undulating plants of paddy and mustard in full bloom, offering standing ovation to those visiting,

“Pind di Kuri”, a commendable lyrical commentary on the quintessential Punjabi village belle, unaware of the wicked ways of the world, speaks volumes for his proven prowess to handle a subtle theme with a matching felicity.

Many of his poems and plays, including “ehsas”, “Asli Warris”, “Rakhi ka Apman”, have been successfully read out and staged and evoked a well-deserved admiration from one and all.

Bhuria, who has made a modest contribution to the preservation of the ancient cultural heritage of Himachal Pradesh, awaits due recognition from the state Government, floating avenues to encourage the upcoming poets and playwrights.

Revival of English theatre
Tribune News Service

THE Chandigarh Amateur Dramatics Society has put out an appeal for the revival of English theatre.

The brainchild of Amrit Mundy and under the guidance of its patron W.C Thakur, the society has developed from weekly readings and appraisals of purist playwrights to its first production "Birthday Honours" by Paul Jones a traditional, hilarious comedy.

Last Saturday at 6.30 p.m a near-capacity audience filled Tagore Theatre, Chandigarh There was a slight delay due to an electricity failure. The play started with no undue frills and announcements.

Meera Singh as the loud, conceited mother, with her clear diction of the English language, had the audience in splits. Subhadra, the curt secretary, developed it into a lovers' triangle with an amazing alacrity.

Kavita Das, playing the nincompoop daughter, had the crowd enveloped with her "hugs and kisses". Her affections flitted between her sister's husband and lover. Eventually she ran away with her sister's "other man".

Gary Singh, a lawyer in the High Court, was svelte and suave as the "other man".

The doctor was a real life doctor, Kanwaljit Singh. He did full justice to his role.

Harinder K. Sandhu, with her education in theatre at Panjab University, portrayed her role charmingly.

The team of directors were Meeta Mann and Meera Singh. Under the guidance of N C Thakur, with his 20 years experience, they took this as a challenge

There next challenge, so rumour goes, is a contemporary musical. Here's wishing them luck.

by B.N. Goswamy

Things half seen

IF I return — yet again — to photography in this column, it is because of an uncommon photographer, a Frenchman by the name of Victor Segalen. Till the other day I had never, like a vast number of others I suspect, heard of the man. But once I saw a group of photographs by him, my curiosity was greatly roused.

A bearded, explorer-like figure standing leaning against the earthen wall of a deep pit from which an enormous winged horse seems to be emerging; the interior of a richly painted and sculpted cave, with carved figures lurking in velvety shadows; the vast expanse of a rice field in which larger-than-life stone figures of horses and tall columns stand against a bare sky, reminders as it were of some lost empire: these were the kind of images I was looking at.

There was a compelling quality about them, something tantalising and mysterious. Photographs that made you think, complete the picture in your mind in some manner. There was honest work in them — nothing flashy or fancy — and yet they led your thoughts quietly in the direction of fantasy, some dream world where you expected to mingle with people of a different hue, amidst spaces that you knew little about. As I said, I found the work curiously fascinating.

The maker of these images, Segalen, I was to discover, died some 80 years back. And all the work I was looking at was done in the early years of this century in little-known corners of China. Segalen was no professional photographer. He was a naval doctor who, it is reported, hated the sea but was drawn to different lands, a writer and an archaeologist by inclination who undertook expeditions to China as many as three times between 1914 and 1917.

Close to 700 photographs, he took during those years, toting his unwieldy equipment from site to little-known site, accompanied by a dilettante explorer-friend who, “despite or because of his opium intake”, threatened to turn back every now and then and had to be constantly cajoled or coaxed into continuing. But nothing made Segalen swerve from his resolve.

He was intent on observing, and writing. It is increasingly clear from his writings — which are now drawing wide attention, including that of some modern gurus like Jacques Derrida and Simon Leys — that it was no simple “wanderlust” that propelled him away from his beloved Brittany. There was a desire in him to get to know other people and other lands, essentially through images that forced one to think, and to try and understand. In fact, he is believed now to have developed a distinct theory of exoticism, a radically new way of envisaging ‘the Other’, according to lain Watson, the writer of the article on Segalen that I was reading.

But, back to the photographs. There is remarkably little “anthropological” about them, nothing formulaic. Everything around Segalen — in China — must have been so new, so different, for him. And yet, in all those photographs he took, there is remarkably little human presence; there are no picture postcards of peasants and mandrains; and the groups of porters that one sees in them from time to time to seem to have been avoidable, for everyone was naturally inclined to crowd around digs and newly discovered tombs and caves.

One knows from his writings that Segalen did not care about modern China at all, and saw both Buddhism and the newly-arrived Christianity as movements that sapped, somehow, “the nobility of a heroic past”. If his images evoke, therefore, monumental mysteries, and the angles from which he took them look more like visual notes for future writing than straightforward records of observed facts, it is because he “saw” with such “verve and modernity”. There are unexpected points of view in what he captured through his lens, but a singular, studied absence of romanticism.

Segalen’s images and writing are remarkably woven together. There are, in his work, photographs of the “yellow earth” landscapes which get gransmuted:”.... rose-yellow in the morning, salmon-yellow in western light, ashen towards mid-day, purple-violet in the evening, and black blacker than black at night....” Startling descriptions these, and so vivid.

It is remarkable, however, that Segalen remains little known, even in his own native land. Few are aware, for instance, of the fact that while he served as a doctor in the first World War, the carnage that he saw around himself wore him out, so depressed him in fact, that all he wanted to do was to return to his own little place in Brittany. Now, however, the Bibliotheque Nationale, and Guimet, that great museum in Paris devoted to the arts of Asia, are investing much energy in making him and his work better known, starting with a detailed catalogue in which his photographs will be juxtaposed with his own text. In fact, the work might be on the point of being released even as this column appears in print....

A different end

Victor Segalen died an unsung man. The silent depression with which he retired to his native province was added to by an unresolved triangular relationship: that between himself, his wife and her best friend. The end came soon after, and was not unlike that of van Gogh. He left his hotel room one day, never to return. His body was found two days later, lying in a pool of congealed blood, with his copy of “Hamlet” beside him.

One of the last sentences that Segalen wrote, as Watson notes, could well serve as a fitting epigraph: “So many things half seen but never seen.”