My interpretation of "FEELING"

This is a project from the module of Visual and Design Culture in which any sculpture belonging to the modern era had to be picked out and analyzed as per one's own understanding.
This is the piece I chose.

"Feeling" by Kusum Jain

This sculpture is made out of fibre and was displayed at Triveni Gallery, Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi.

The sculpture has been given an ancient look with the base colour being golden with a tinge of black here and there. On seeing the sculpture, deliberately without looking at the title, i firstly tried to figure out what is it that the sculptor wants to get across to its viewers through this piece. The significant things which were visible in the sculptor were the woman, the children and the woman’s elongated legs and arms.

The woman shown is Indian, which is pretty much clear from the way the woman has tied her hair into a bun (jooda). Her body proportions have been made in a way which depicts her arms and legs longer than required.

After looking at the title “feeling”, I interpreted the woman as the mother of the children. The posture in which she is sitting is the one in which generally a parent plays with his/her kid. So the sculpture is showing the mother who is trying to enjoy with her children. The significant part is the elongated legs and arms which show the over-whelming love and care, the feelings; she has in her heart for the children that she can do anything to give them happiness. Not only has she been shown with longer legs to make it easy for all of her children to enjoy with her all together, but her longer arms depict that she’s vigilant about their safety as well. Also, since its quite a height for the small kids, she has been shown with a raised head so that she can keep an eye on them.

Another thing which the sculptor might be trying to show is the ethics of the Indian culture and the urge children have to get their parents’ blessings! Since all the small kids have been shown one after the other, we can interpret that they are having a race kind if a thing to see who reaches to the mother’s feet first to touch them and be blessed. Though, it’s more of just a fun activity and a mother’s feelings for her children are unbiased and unconditional! They are always equal for all her children no matter what!

Since the sculptor has shown so many children clung to the their mother’s legs, in a loving but playful manner, it also represents the idea, of the old India, of having many children who further go on to carry the family name and culture. Also, I feel that all the kids shown are males, which shows the stereotypical, yet still present tradition of preference of a boy child over a girl child.

By the title of the sculpture “feeling”, the whole concept of an infant recognising her mother through the tactile feel or the touch has also been reinforced by the artist. It’s that touch which makes an infant aware of his/her mother being around him/her and the child being absolutely safe and protected. So it’s the “feel” that connects an infant to his/her mother.

If we look at the colour of the art piece again, we can see the use of more of gold where the mother has been shown, while more of black towards the other end. This might be to show the extreme divinity, godliness and serenity of the motherhood!

Another thing which comes into my mind on seeing the shape and form of the sculpture is a saxophone. A saxophone being a musical instrument which, according to me, represents passion and intense emotions is an absolutely appropriate form to be given to the whole piece as the relationship between the mother and her children is very intense and strongly passionate too! Hence, this form can be justified.