Why you need to attend this Mumbai art exhibition showcasing 150 unique sculptures

In Thin Air, 2018, LN Tallur. Pics Courtesy/Space 118 Foundation

Art was functional before it became aesthetic," says collector Saloni Doshi, as she describes the current exhibition, Sculpting Air, at the Space 118 gallery. The Mazgaon-based space is currently hosting 150 pieces of work from her personal collection thattraverses across time and form. "Of these, there are works by 35 prominent artists such as Laxma Goud, LN Tallur and Subodh Gupta among others. But there are also many whose creators have been lost to time," she states.

The collection extends from sculptural artworks to everyday items such as paandaans

Curated by Sumesh Sharma, the exhibition takes its title from the conceptual allegory of shaping something out of nothing. Sharma remarks, "I was struck by Tallur's creation, In Thin Air - a heavyset sculpture depicting four kamalasanas with feet of Chola bronze made in panchdhatu (five metals). The paradox between the title and the material is a common thread that binds the lofty ambitions of sculptors. Several of these objects were also part of homes, Doshi reminds us. "These dichotomies always existed in India. Even modern artists have created sculptures tracing back to divine origin, but using folk and village art. It brings together conversations of art, myths and culture, time and space, ethics and the fundamentals of our own inherent sculptural traditions," Sharma concludes.

Saloni Doshi

TILL February 28; 11 am to 5 pm
AT Space 118 Art Foundation, 118, Wadi Bunder Road, Mazgaon.
CALL 9820098755