Sculptor Karl Antao, born in 1966 in Mumbai, is currently attracting art enthusiasts with his recent exhibition at Gallery Espace, a showcase that runs until January 6, 2024. Antao’s journey in art began with the completion of his Bachelor of Fine Arts from Sir J. J School of Applied Arts, Mumbai, in 1991. Since then, he has left an indelible mark on the art world with his mammoth sculptures and complex visual metaphors.
Antao’s artistic prowess extends beyond his formal education, as he transitioned from a career in advertising to becoming an artist. His unique background infuses his sculptures with a rare ability to bridge the gap between the final form and a designer’s visualisation. Working primarily with wood, he challenges the stillness of the medium, infusing it with life and emotions, resulting in sculptures that radiate with human expression. Occasionally, he delves into bronze to explore new dimensions in his creative journey.
The artist’s portfolio boasts eight solo exhibitions, each contributing to his growing acclaim. Notable showcases include ‘Couple of Differences’ at Sakshi Gallery, Mumbai, and Gallery Espace, New Delhi, in 2010, and ‘Unseen Truth’ at Gallery Sumukha in Chennai and Bangalore in 2007. Awards, such as the Indian Habitat Centre Award for Best Solo Show in 2005, the Bendre-Husain Award in 1995, and the Bombay Art Society Award in 1993, have further solidified Antao’s place in the art world.
Antao’s sculptures are monumental creations charged with emotion, a rarity in contemporary art. His ability to convey myriad human emotions with ease and visual impact is evident in pieces that often hint at an invisible presence, leaving room for interpretation and imagination. The sculptures, though often displaying only fragments of the human form, resonate with a profound sense of humanity and emotional depth.
Living and working in Ahmedabad, Antao has participated in numerous art exhibitions both in India and abroad since 1987. His expertise extends beyond exhibitions, as he has conducted workshops in paper pulp, terracotta, and metal casting, sharing his passion and knowledge with aspiring artists.
In his recent exhibition at Gallery Espace, Antao’s sculptures continue to reflect his affinity for amalgamating the natural world with man-made configurations of creation. The looming forms on display seem to expand skywards while rooted firmly to the ground, creating a language of their propagation. The artist’s classical influences resonate in the figures, eminently grounded in the present to reflect the plebeian and the plural.
The exhibition unfolds a narrative of dualities, with Antao’s figures exuding beatific calm while expressing worries of everyday life – concerns about the next meal, shelter, and the struggle against adverse conditions. The artist’s hands, depicted as sturdy yet flexible, point to essential truths that need to be grasped in their stark totality.
Antao’s recent works, while evoking a sense of eternity with beatific expressions, also bear stains on the textured surface simmering with disquiet and unresolved dilemmas. The sculptures appear to be in the grip of the acne of the skin, symbolising a rupturing of nature’s bounty and humanity’s struggles for wholeness. The exhibition unfolds as an evenly matched performance between the construction of wholeness and the disfiguration of sublimated truths, offering viewers a profound exploration of dualities and the roundedness of form.
In the narratives of the future, Karl Antao’s voice will undoubtedly remain predominant, as he continues to conjugate the humanscape of new creations with the manifold bounty of nature. His recent exhibition at Gallery Espace showcases his ability to prophesies the consequences of his own vision and carve the restitution of the dichotomies of existence, offering viewers a glimpse into the resilience and beauty of the human spirit.
Iftikar Ahmed is a New Delhi-based art writer, researcher and curator.
