Every site-specific installation has a story to share - something that is steeped in the socio and geographical elements of the place. American artist Ursula Clark's installation at The Park ‘Nature in Balance’ is a celebration of nature. The New York based artist who was here in the city on a short tour spent a day to work on her site-specific work of art.
Using elements from the surroundings and infusing them with from an artistic perspective to create site-specific installation, Ursula’s work inspires and challenges the viewer as well as offers beauty and wonder. Free from commercial concerns, site specific works give birth to a different kind of artistic expression which is void of inhibitions or pretensions. That is why it is important to step out of the more familiar museum or gallery spaces and view art in an altogether different context such as this. An artwork created to exist in a certain place, in site-specific art the artist takes the location into account while planning and creating the artwork. Incidentally, Ursula’s art work comes across as a sharp contrast to The Park’s manicured and symmetrically landscaped facade overlooking the Bay of Bengal. Depicting the artist’s connect with nature and the surroundings, the site-specific installation work is done using the most basic elements like jute fibre and stones. “My work is influenced by primitive art as well as abstract and conceptual art. However, nature herself is my most direct influence and many materials that I use are organic. These materials may include sticks, stones, branches, natural fibres and dried mosses. Aesthetically, I give particular attention to texture, colour and smell. In general terms, my work is an effort to emphasize natural simplicity, ritual and the sense of the primordial,” says the artist.
Her works have been exhibited at several galleries in New York. Ursula had also done five curatorial projects from 1986 to 2001 in the US. The artist was in India to participate in an Art Camp in Shantiniketan organized and directed by Chandana Khan, President of Pegusus Art Gallery.
The concept of site-specific is relatively new to the city. In the recent past, the first site-specific art activity was organised in the city, which saw fine arts students of Andhra University and Viswa Bharati University participate in a week-long camp.
Ursula’s art installation is kept at the Chess Board lawn area of The Park hotel. Recently, a creative space for artists was inaugurated at the hotel by ‘Hastakshar’. It showcases works of artists Ravi Kattakuri, Simhachalam Dollu, Sandhya Chowdari, Srinivas Padakandla, Sharmla Karri, Tirupati Rao, Moka Satish Kumar, Naresh Mohanta among others. “Now we have also added works of Sayeeda Ali, who specialises in reverse painting, two of Rashmi Trivedi’s works, egg shell art works of D. Shankar and 10 works of Ravi Kattakuri,” says Soumya Bellubi of ‘Hastakshar’.
