From flat surfaces to multi-dimensional objects, from being completely in control of the output to surrendering to surprises, Amdavad’s eminent painter, Amit Ambalal, has turned his artistic vision to a new art form - ceramic sculpture.
Dogs, crows, lots of cows and, of course, people - his sculptures reflect the vivacious spirit of Amdavad, sometimes mocking its eccentricities even as they narrate an amusing tale. His first works in this art form, titled Sermons in Ceramics, will be put on display at Amdavad ni Gufa from Wednesday. After over three decades of painting on canvas, experimenting with ceramics has given the veteran artist much excitement.
“It reminded me of Picasso, who discovered that the story you tell through clay is the one that the clay wants you to tell,” Ambalal said. “At times, the clay even tried to overtake the artist in me. But at the end of the day, it (clay) guided me into making of shapes and the result was a big surprise.” Colour was the most intriguing aspect of ceramic sculpture. In fact, he says colours are a gift from the product. “What drew me to clay was the new dimension, that I could change, view its background, and even change that,” he added.
The idea of sculptures came from the paintings. The paintings obviously came first. But whether he will continue to experiment with his new art form is not clear. Around 27 pieces of sculpture have been put up for display at the exhibition. His quintessential crow also figures in the exhibition.
Very happy with the three decades he has spent painting in Ahmedabad, Ambalal concludes, “For me, art is a reflection of what happens around me. People talk about global art, but for me, the more local you are, the more global you become.”
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