Ratul Chandra Gogoi displayed some of his latest sculptures in his recent exhibition at the State Art Gallery. The skills and conceptual range were writ large in the 10 sculptures, as Ratul was able to integrate diverse elements in his works with finesse.

The two works under the Nature series bear the trademark in this context. Containing numerous holes and empty spaces therein, one of them makes a subtle suggestion to the cycles of creation and the reproductive parts involved in the creative process, both at the cosmic and the biological levels. There is also an attempt to express the pains of creation before any new arrival, with the prevalence of red enhancing this effect. In the other work, Ratul strives to depict the universe as a magnanimous tree and portray humanity’s aspirations by tying threads of faith round the metal trunks.

In both these sculptures, a common trait has been the placing of a well-carved wooden block horizontally on a vertical pillar placed on another block at the bottom. This is also seen in Home, which consists of an intricately carved block of wood resting on a brass pipe, which in turn is stuck on a vertical wooden pillar containing similar engravings. Here, too, the allusion is to the process of creation.

Reflection also carries the same spirit. The first (wood, mirror) is like an inverted Shivlinga, with the base placed on the top of the column. The rectangular base having several holes and a scratched-up mirror at the centre, has various forms engraved on its sides, borrowed from the folk art and culture – especially terracotta-style human forms and banana plantains alluding to wedding rituals, with the engravings emphasising a cosmic connection.

Red appears more often than not in his works. The colour is ubiquitous in our cultural and traditional life, apart from universally symbolising creation and destruction, love and passion. Bulk of the works displayed by Ratul this time has an ambience created by this colour, and there are more reasons than one why the artist sought to use it extensively in his works. There is also an abundance of holes and empty spaces in his works, which he has employed quite effectively.

Bolisal is the work that won a National Award for Ratul in 2006. Two wooden pillars, held together by bamboo bars, constitute this altar of sacrifice, at the base of which lies the small head of a sacrificial goat. The reliefs engraved on the altar contribute to the overall expression – the images of Durga and Kali symbolising power, and the banana plantains bringing in a folk, ritualistic touch, while the redness of the pillars enhances the feeling of violence.

Today, ‘October 30’ is not just another date for the Assamese people’s psyche. It is a grim reminder of the day when barbarism touched its nadir last year. Ratul’s work 30th October (wood), therefore, is meant to express the orgy of violence, showing a face that is grotesque, macabre and mutilated. The sculptor then shows some red footsteps on a circular disc lying beneath, while human forms engraved on its circumference refer to the plight of humanity. The shadow of terror can also be seen in the small bronze sculpture Fear, in the form of a panic-stricken mother fleeing with her child in hand.

Most of the wooden sculptures displayed in the show have an inclusive character, which in essence is an allusion to the self-contained and all-encompassing nature of the cosmos, even as the integration of varied elements, folk as well as modern, fulfils an artistic purpose remarkably well. This is the overarching aspect of Ratul’s solo show, and something that has been his forte has come to the fore once again.

d.bezbarua@yahoo.co.in

Debashish Bezbaruah