Paisley

“For me, every sculpture begins with a blank paper on my drawing board.. I imagine a shape, but it takes form and becomes clearer in my mind as I sketch. I create many empathic sketches, sometimes no more than a few lines and gestures. As a sculpture becomes clearer in my mind and on paper, we start making 3 dimensional models. For a few months, we bounce back and forth between drawings and models which leads to the final sculpture.

I draw with red and black marker, on Bien Fang paper. I do not erase, I draw a web of lines with red marker, and then lock in the shape with black marker, and lastly, I wash it with bestine.

My work is about distilling a shape to its purest essence. I find the center of gravity in a shape, and then remove all the “fat” until I reach its essence. Then I make it move. I aim to create a sense of tranquility. All my sculptures are a progression of form and shape, building on older sculptures. The Paisley or Mango motif originated in India, in art and textile design. During the colonial era, in the 19th century, weavers in the Scottish town of Paisley adopted the motif in their jacquard weaves, and the design took the name of the town. My Paisley, inspired by the sensual curves of the mango, plays with reflections in both its convex and concave shapes. The “eye” brings a shaft of light through the center of the sculpture, so that I see my paisley dancing in the sunlight.”

-Tarik Currimbhoy