A Virar-based sculptor’s new installation on the shores of Arnala Fort collaborates with the tides to present a snapshot of life by the sea
The miniature port and the boats are placed on the rocky shore near Arnala Fort. Pics/Anurag Ahire
Hee maajhi bur!” (This boat is mine!) Rokesh Patil recalls how the Koli children would call out excitedly, pointing at his miniature boats when he started work on a new installation on the shores of Arnala Fort last summer. Now, as the 40ftx40ft miniature cargo port is finally ready — the boats, containers, rigs and all — he hasn’t forgotten his little cheerleaders. The grand cargo ship is named Lavanya, a smaller crew boat Dhwaj, and a cruise liner Dabula, all after the young, curious minds.
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Patil works on fixing a container ship with his team
“My heart lies in Arnala, among its rocky shores and calm seas, where I grew up watching Koli fishers at work. After completing my master’s in printmaking in Vadodara in 2022, I knew I had to create something for them,” Patil shares. Hence, the boats — 18 handcrafted models — patiently waiting to dock in the port.
Reflecting on the eight-month-long journey, Patil shares, “Each boat is handcrafted, shaped by insights from local fishermen. The port itself stands strong, built from metal and attached in place using techniques that the fishermen use to firmly secure their fishing nets.” Placed in the high tidal zone, the curtain raiser last weekend was possibly the first of its kind. “The sculpture remains concealed during high tide. As the waves recede as per the tidal cycle, it will reveal itself to the visitors,” he reveals, adding that the installation will be in place until monsoon sets in, with short windows for viewing periodically.
Rows of handcrafted metal cranes in the miniature installation
While the ambitious project has finally found its footing, Patil assures us that the marine ecosystem and the local fisheries remain unaffected. “I consulted the fishermen to ensure the area was not a fragile zone for marine habitat or fishing activities. When an installation was set up in 2023, some of the miniature boats collected colonies of coral life forms on them with time. These models were carefully picked out and sent to a gallery in Naicavaddo in Goa to be exhibited,” he recalls.
Container ships Lavanya and Daya, like all other vessels in the installation, are named after children frequenting Patil’s workshop in Arnala
With the tides turning in Arnala, it’s Patil’s cue to add finishing touches to his masterpiece. The sculptor leaves us with a message: “I want to remind young artists that art spaces are not confined to the spotless white cube-style galleries you find in the city.
Dhwaj, a crew boat
And as they hop on to the ferry and reach these shores to view the installation, I hope they see more than my art. There is a greater collaborator at work that has shaped not only my work, but the city itself — the ever-giving sea.”
The cruise ship Dabula
On Today and tomorrow, 12 pm to 6 pm; (more dates will be revealed as per tidal trends)
At Arnala (Fort) Killa, Virar West.
Log on to @rokesh_patil on Instagram (for updates on the schedule)
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