Getting To Heart Of It

Ceramic artist Shweta Mansingka’s creative journey involves tapping into her inner consciousness

When did your fascination for clay begin?

SM: I love how an author/artist/philosopher’s thoughts can be the catalyst to provoke another person to reflect, delve or rediscover facets of life they may otherwise have overlooked. Growing up I admired the works of Rodin and Brancusi, expressing timelessly through their sculptures, reaching across decades and resonating with generations of viewers. Chancing upon the thought-provoking works of Joseph Bofill filled me with wonder, impacting my life and world.

It was a blessing that clay found me in 1989. I started training with Shri Ram Kumar Manna in Calcutta. My sculptures bordered on the abstract, leaving much unsaid, trying to express intangible thoughts or intensely felt emotions through the silent voice of clay.

I used to go for many classical music/dance performances and what fascinated me deeply was the rapture in the expressions of the performing artists when they lost themselves to their art - almost going beyond themselves to connect to a higher creative energy. This resulted in a series of terracotta sculptures including ‘Silent melody’ and ‘We dance... to a whispered voice’ for my first solo show at the Birla Academy of Fine Arts in 1995.

What is the significance of a mentor in an artist’s career?

SM: The teachers who came into my world have enriched my path way beyond their fields of expertise. Words are not enough to express the gratitude I feel towards them. I was fortunate to train personally under Shri Ram Manna for five years. He is the epitome of humility, ginormous in his skills and pure intention to impart knowledge openly without needing to withhold any of his techniques or skills. I am forever indebted to him for his teachings which are the foundations of my ceramic journey.