In this highly accelerated world, it is important to take pauses as they often give us clarity, believes Vernika Singh, a renowned sculptor whose exhibition ‘In Motion and Stillness’ is ongoing at Max Square, Noida.
In her exhibition, the artist has tried to highlight a balance between hyperactivity and self-reflection. In conversation with The Morning Standard (TMS), the artist says, ‘In Motion and Stillness’ reflects the way I see life — we are constantly moving, yet there are moments of pause that give us clarity. The exhibition is about finding a balance between activity and reflection. I’ve worked around the idea of ‘dynamism in movement’, which I have tried to capture through human forms.”
Life in art
Although she is a known sculptor now, sculpting came into Singh’s life by accident. It was during her engineering days that she tried her hand at sculpting, and since then, it has been ongoing.
“I had a foundry class where I worked with metal, learning casting, welding, and shaping. That exposure sparked a strong desire to experiment with materials beyond painting, which I had been doing since childhood. College became the turning point, where I moved from two-dimensional expression to sculpting in three dimensions. Over time, I realised that sculpture gave me a way to translate emotions, movements, and stories into form. In many ways, it felt less like I chose sculpture and more like sculpture chose me.”
As an artist, she is also inspired by the works of Michelangelo and Bharti Kher. “I love Kher for the way she uses female forms so powerfully, Louise Bourgeois for her balance of emotion and structure, but more than anyone else, my artist friends are my biggest inspiration. The conversations, struggles, and exchanges we share constantly push me to see differently and create more honestly.”
The artworks
As the exhibition focuses on human reflection, each artwork conveys a strong message to the audience. “‘Gymnasts’ is one such work which talks about strength, balance and courage. It’s one human figure holding the other mid air, talks so much about relationships and about life in general. Then there is ‘I am the universe-II’, this work is a reminder of how we become what we believe we are, it’s a figure seated in a meditative pose with a halo around the head, which I’ve tried doing in a mandala form. The ‘Inverted Yoga’ series discusses focus. Each work carries a reminder of resilience, harmony and human potential.”
‘In Motion and Stillness’ is ongoing at the Max Square in Noida till September 1 from 11 am to 7 pm