Sculptor depicts illusion through sculptures of butterflies and ants
My mobile sculptures are built to create a perfect balance with subtle movements, retaining form in their space Maria Antony Raj, Sculptor
Award-winning sculptor Maria Antony Raj will be exhibiting a few of his works at an exhibition titled Butterfly: An Essential of Life at Kadambari Art Gallery, DakshinaChitra from December 5 onwards. For this exhibition, he has used ants and butterflies as subjects and made quirky sculptures in brass and copper. “I was always attracted to butterflies for their vibrancy and variations. I did a series of blue wing birds, retaining blue in my metallic birds. These butterflies are done in copper and brass. I do not plan my installations but like to keep them site-specific and follow my intuition to expand them on the floor, on the walls or even on tree branches. As we all know, ants collecting food in unity is part of our collective consciousness. The act of sharing food with one another is a religious experience. Art’s essential function is to share. The act and union become a strong metaphor for this work. I have purposefully made this work to expand and take different dimensions – it is to bring the smallest being like an ant to the visible world,” says Maria Antony Raj.
The installations are made as mobile sculptures because they can alter dimensions in open spaces. “Mobile sculptures need technical understanding and clear concepts to implement and communicate through my art. My mobile sculptures are built to create a
perfect balance with subtle movements, retaining form in their space. I think of myself as an outsider, who hangs between wisdom and chaos, harmony and discord. My forms depict illusion, disharmony, revenge and cruelty which prevail in the world. My sentimental, philosophical and moral take are visible in my sculptures. Flowing circular or straight lines are the core of my expression,” he adds.