Indian sculpture is going through a process of revival,thanks to a man who does things with a twist. K S Radhakrishnan’s preference ofmodelling and bronze casting over new materials has helped him rake inaccolades from art enthusiasts all over the world. After holding severalexhibitions and installing his masterpieces in countries like France, UK andparts of India, the celebrated sculptor was in Goa to be a part of Goa Art andLiterary Festival which concluded few days ago.
K S Radhakrishnan has done numerous sculptures acrossdifferent subjects but he is best known for his series ‘Musui and Maiya’. Thissubject which entered his world of creative imagination in 1970’s has bloomedinto an endless series of topics since then. According to him, Musui and Maiyaare his alter egos and fictional characters through which he has been exploringthe world. However, the story behind his signature series is something that isnot known by many.
Radhakrishnan saw a ‘Santhal’ youth, Musui, along theroadside asking for alms, when he was studying at Shantiniketan in West Bengalin the early 1970s. Radhakrishnan elaborates, “It wasn’t just the smile buteverything about him including his simplicity that touched me. It was somethingbeyond his physical attributes that I could see. I offered him money and askedhim to sit for me in the studio so I could make a portrait sculpture of hishead. Even after I completed my studies at Shantiniketan, there was somethingabout him that made me carry his portrait along with me to Delhi where I did myfurther studies.” The head (the portraitsculpture) of Musui went on to become a permanent fixture in Radhakrishnan’s studio.He adds, “For me, it became a person that I grew with. Musui has been created.It is something that has evolved out of a thought process. It is like becomingone with Musui.”
In his series of sculptures, the character of Musui appearsnot as a particular person but as a symbol of mind's lightness and its abilityto assume multiple identities. Maiya is his female counterpart, and one of themany others Radhakrishnan morphs into. So has he not grown out of the monotonyand felt the need to explore other concepts? Radhakrishnan fights back, “Do Ireally have to work with various expressions when I know I’m finding everythingin one? I do involve myself with other topics as well, but if it is a livingbeing, it has to be Musui or Maiya.”
