BHOPAL: The deft hands of Jhumuk Das Manikpuri, a ceramic artist from Chhattisgarh, are busy giving shape to an idea.
For this, he has chosen the ceramic art workshop that lies in a retired corner of Bharat Bhawan.
Only occasional spring waft breathes in, making the place more serene, making his fingers work faster.
Nevertheless, Manikpuri’s working in silence does not mean dumbness. He protests against violation of woman and nature.
He has sculpted clay into trees looking like female figurines. The artist has verbalized them. They are Nirbhaya Trees, raising their voice.
The ceramist, sweetly called ‘JD’, has told Free Press woman and nature, mothers of mankind, have always been violated.
Accordingly, whenever he reads about violation of minors in newspapers his heart bleeds. Their sufferings dwell on him.
Human beings barely care for the emotions of a woman and nature. Men fell trees and feel happy violating a woman.
Yet both have feelings. The artist’s aim is to delineate their emotions, their sentiments.
‘JD’ has been working on this topic for over three months. He has made 40 drawings of female figurines in ink. He has done that to give more effects to his work.
Once he has been satisfied with the drawings he has turned them into figures.
As to the name of the work, ‘Nribhya Tree’, the artist says, “Nirbhaya has been synonymous with rapes across the world. Besides, I have to connect it with nature. So I have decided to give that title to my work.”
The height of the stoneware work is 5.5ft weighing 30kg.
Saw, chisel, rods and scissors used by rapists will be employed in the figurines to personify the brutality. Rubber has been used to show the texture of trees.
The name, age and place of the incidents of rape as well as newspaper clippings will also be used in the works, he said. Clay from Khurja in UP has been used.
One palm of the figurine is open, seeking help. The other one is closed. It embodies agony. Both hands are in the air. These are the hands of Nirbhayas, victims of people like Harvey Weinstein and Roman Polanski, across the world.
The human civilization is specked with the stories of the Nirbhayas. They have suffered silently. But now, they have begun to speak up. There are people like Manikpuri to give them a voice, to jolt men’s conscience.
