“Ceramic sculptures were rare at the time. It was mainly used for pottery. But for me, it became the medium for communication. In a way, it was a new movement,” he smiles.
Bharat Bhavan was a turning point for him in other ways as well. The tribal and rural lives, and the intricate bond between humans and animals, became the central themes of his work there.
“That was the golden era of Bharat Bhavan,” Reghu says. Luminaries of the art world were all there, working, teaching and creating at the institution.
“I used to visit tribal settlements in Bastar during my long stint at the institution. There is a beauty and element of determination to their lives, always marginalised, on the sidelines. Tribals are one of the most invisible people in our country. And that is why I wanted to talk about them,” he says.
He also captures them at their leisure — smoking beedi amid the grazing cows, sitting down for a chat, having tea… his subjects are multifaceted.
Not just tribals, Reghu has also explored the bond between mother and child through his works. A pregnant woman with a baby in her belly, a mother holding her child, etc., are images he works with.
“There are different themes that I adopt in my work as time moves. While tribal lives are the central theme, sometimes our soldiers, yoga practices, motherhood, etc., also become part of my works,” he explains.
The exhibition will conclude on September 29.
