Source

HONOLULU, HAWAII, October 11, 2004: An exhibit of stone, marble, bronze, wood, clay and painted images from across India that depict the Goddess Durga will be on display at the Honolulu Academy of Arts. “Durga: The Great Goddess Revealed,” an exhibit of Durga images runs through December 5. The academy is also holding various music, film, lecture and festival events that run in conjunction with the exhibit, and will display a sculpture of Durga built on-site using traditional techniques. Master craftsmen from West Bengal are constructing a pandal (temporary temple) on the academy grounds, along with a beautiful sculpture of eight-armed Durga. Academy visitors are welcome to watch the construction, which is scheduled to be complete by October 17.



Manu Chkravartty, a docent (guide) at the academy, says that it’s important to use only natural products to construct the image, because in India after the festival concludes, the image is immersed in a nearby river or ocean. And while the image here won’t be immersed at the end of the academy’s Durga run (it will instead be added to the academy’s Indian collection), it is being made by master sculptors with all natural materials. The base of the sculpture is constructed by shaping rice straw-bound with jute string and covered with a red California clay mix. The piece is then left to dry in the open air. No kiln is used for this type of sculpture. As the clay dries, it develops cracks. Clay from the Ganges river, which is extremely fine, is then used to fill in the cracks and smooth over the piece. With the sculpting perfected and the image dried, Durga will be painted. The last step is painting her eyes. Called “The Opening of the Eyes,” it begins the process of bringing spirit to the image. By Wednesday, Durga will be fully dressed and bejeweled. On Thursday, the first day of the 10-day festival, comes the invocation, complete with drummers, dancers and chanters who will invoke the spirit of the Goddess.

Post Views: 635