Astapura by Mayadhar Saha

A G CONTEMPORARY Astapura By Mayadhar Sahu Curated by Anica Mann "When our villages are fully developed, there will be no dearth in them of men with a high degree of skill and artistic talent. There will be Village Poets, Village Artists, Linguists and Research Workers." M.K Gandhi A utopian idea that premises the village as the primary constituent unit of a country against the glaring reality in present times where all routes lead out of the village. The village was the host of indigenous philosophies and mercantile acumen that was rooted in the land. Now the village remains a time warp that provides labour to the country. Mayadhar Sahu's practice is a dialogue in sculpture that maps itself back to his native village- Astapura. From a family of vegetable merchants, their work was ingrained in the artist's muscle memory. As an art student in Bhubaneswar he carved in marble those objects that were part of his everyday life as symbols of his being. Ordinary, mundane yet significant. At M.S University Baroda, Mayadhar arrived at another wave. With traditional philosophies now guiding his longing for the temples of Bhubaneswar, he started building dialogues in wood. Sahu retraces his steps back to his village. In this exhibition he finds his body of work come together in the form of the "Hattas" of old Orissa, a place of commerce, leading to sacred temple grounds. The artist installs a journey full in story and legend, each arrived at through his inquisition into his own sense of longing and desire of the old and the familiar. The artist installs a journey full in story and legend, each arrived at through his inquisition into his own sense of longing and desire of the old and the familiar. - Anica Mann Show continues till 21 April 2024