Vijaya Chauhan
Silent Words
2016
Terracotta, Steel and Wood
76 x 10 x 76 cm
My work presents an idea that attains a balance in a social and moral behavior of the human with present time. Human with his all five senses used to be called a perfect creature, but imperfectness in any one sense treated contrarily and they follow different metaphor to communicate. I use such unusual elements of expression which the disabled persons use to learn and communicate. I am attracted to the mystery and transformative power of metaphor “Brail Text”. In my early investigations my attention was primarily focused on the beauty in touch and experience of the knowledge existed in Brail. Accordingly my work formulated towards the social gesture with visual specifications.
The evolution of my sculpture in brail began during living with visually- impaired friends in my graduation years. I was fascinated with the texture on white surface and the expression behind every feel of touch. Visual presence of the brail text produces a hidden dialog that combine to form a various sentences. These are the silent sentences for me, because it can understand only by touch. It is the language of silence, without any squabble.
My intention was to grasp the visual aspect of the brail and creates certain positive dialogues and stanza. Brail letters combines to form word and word combines to form sentences and thus creates the sound of feelings, my work is based on these expressions behind each dots. The physical form of the script provides a unknown visual mystery to the viewer which is only read by the blinds. While dealing with the brail text I always tried to make a visual art for the visually impaired people.However; assembling of the words in terracotta form has specific pattern and hidden sentences. They all combine to form an ‘Essay’ which is hanging in the wall. Each and every part of the sculpture has its own identity telling specific word, some depicting colors, and some moral sentences. I use terracotta medium in order to produce a natural, raw and earthy impression on the dialogues which I want to deliver.
Courtesy of Roy Thomas, Vijaya Chauhan.