Sculpted In Time

2022 Venice Biennale's youngest artist, Niyamat Mehta, takes Geetika Sachdev through her art journey

- Geetika Sachdev

Delhi-based sculptor Niyamat Mehta may be in her early '20s, yet her work reflects a nuance usually seen in seasoned artists. Already hailed as a 'potential artistic power' by legendary British sculptor Grenville Davey, Mehta lends a fresh flair to classical sculpture. After exhibiting at Kensington Town Hall in London, Artesfera di Valmadrera in Rome and Centre d'Art Contemporain in Geneva, Mehta became the youngest artist to display at the Palazzo Albrizzi at the 2022 Venice Biennale.

However, it was her first solo exhibit, 'Meraki', at Delhi's cultural hotspot Bikaner House in August 2023 that turned out to be a game changer. "Meraki was a turning point in my life. It was challenging to put together the show in a short span of eight months. But the experience was truly fulfilling. Since the show I am inundated with commissions either through my website or social media," Mehta shares.

The repertoire of 27 bronze and hydro resin sculptures that the young artist showcased featured classical and surrealist themes, with a few heavily inspired by popular culture. While each of her artworks exhibited finesse, some sculptures like Atman and Amor Fati stole the show. Atman was inspired by the Hindu mythological hero Uchchaihshravas, the horse of Indra, while the Amor Fati series featured Alessandro Del Taglia, an art model from Florence, as the central character.