Massive public sculptures on topical issues on anvil

GREAT GOING! (Clockwise) Visakhapatnam-based artist G V Ramana Murthyat work on a 3D mural on flowers that has been commissioned by a softwarecompany in Chennai. A 3D mural on Icons of Chennai; A 3D mural onleadership. Photo: C.V. Subrahmanyam

Encouraged by the public appreciation to his 3D mural on the Coringa Wildlife Sanctuary showcased at last month’s COP-11 at Hyderabad, artist-sculptor G V Ramana Murthy is planning to create massive public sculptures on public issues.

“I am seriously considering setting up huge, say 20 feet by 20 feet sculptures to be installed in a public area like the Beach Road, on public issues like pollution, cigarette smoking and radiation from cellphones,” Ramana Murthy said.

“Earlier, I did some sculptures on public issues, but they were small and displayed indoors, this time I want to go big,” he added.

The UNDP officials who organised the exhibition at Hyderabad were so impressed by the work they decided to build a full-fledged museum in Kakinada around these murals. The UNDP sponsored his 3D Mural on life in Coringa mangrove sanctuary to showcase its intervention there. Ramana Murthy is now planning more sculptures to help fill the museum.

There is so much work commissioned by institutions and corporates that he is not able to find time for his personal works, he confessed. “I have been planning an exhibition of my works, but do not find time. Most of my time goes in these commissioned works,” he said.

The fibreglass work is painstaking and requires attention to detail and hours of toil. He is assisted by a team of professional artists who finish the clay models, help himcreate the plaster of paris mould and also finish his mural.

He recently installed a huge outdoor sculpture in the office of a software company in Chennai.

The project also included murals on Icons of Chennai and Icons of Music to be displayed in the company’s auditorium. The Icons of Chennai has the details of Mammallapuram beach temples, the Marina Beach and Chennai Central Station, among others.

He was recently commissioned by the Eastern Naval Command to create a 10-foot flying eagle to be set up at their establishment. He is now working on a smaller eagle to be installed elsewhere by the ENC.

A personal mural on theme of leadership and inspiration drew the attention of a visiting corporate and they have already requisitioned it, he added.