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Ravinder Reddy’s iconic heads depict the expressive feminine visage of the Indian woman and represent the epitome of the artist’s preoccupation with the female form. Reddy’s oeuvre includes oversized sculptures depicting groups of people, full figures and independent busts and heads. In all of the artist’s creations he engages with expressions and gestures to articulate his concept of the feminine. His early works included busts and figures and... Ravinder Reddy’s iconic heads depict the expressive feminine visage of the Indian woman and represent the epitome of the artist’s preoccupation with the female form. Reddy’s oeuvre includes oversized sculptures depicting groups of people, full figures and independent busts and heads. In all of the artist’s creations he engages with expressions and gestures to articulate his concept of the feminine. His early works included busts and figures and it was not until the mid 1990s that he started creating large heads. It would not be erroneous to opine that the larger than life heads have come to symbolize Reddy’s artistic trajectory - a form encapsulating the essence of the whole from which it has emerged.

Reddy’s sculptures initiate a journey in time. The iconic faces exude a magical quality whereby it simultaneously inhabits different tangents of time and space- the past, the present and that which is to come. The artist’s knowledge of mythology coupled with his interest in early civilization art from Egypt and Mesopotamia lend an interesting mix of influences, he is aware that underneath the apparent simplicity of form lies a clear understanding of anatomy. Reddy thus simplifies yet retains the characteristic features and creates a form that is uniquely his. The heads bring to mind the many images of the voluptuous classical goddesses and female figures from temples and folk shrines, commonly found in contemporary India. Yet they exude a familiarity which pulls the viewer to the present, beckoning faces of the common women in India- draped in colorful attire and dressed with ornate jewels. The sculptural details include gem studded glistening nosepins and earrings, floral hair decorations, kohl lined eyes and animate expressions which may easily bring to mind a familiar image. This hybrid of the goddess and common Indian woman, through the process of re-appropriation of forms and meanings, transforms the head into an entity which becomes eternal. The direct gaze of the monumental faces infuses a life force into the inanimate form lending it an immortal spirit.

The larger than life heads symbolize the celebration of polarities in Reddy’s works- where the differences don’t collide but rather amalgamate to produce a prototype that is familiar yet unique. The present lot, a scaled down version of Reddy’s heads still emulates this distinct characteristic and a change of scale is not merely about dimensions, but is requires a complete command of the form to recreate it differently. The woman with wide eyes looks straight ahead, though with a gentle expression, the softness of the bulbous face is set off by an angular nose. A striking feature of Reddy’s sculpture is the attention to hair ornamentation, the hair is inevitably depicted by striations which ends in a coiled bun which in this case is held in a blue band decorated with silver lotus motifs topped with contrasting orange floral veni (small floral garland) . The face is both- ordinary and familiar yet otherworldly evoking the divine. Created in fiberglass and polymer-resin, the inanimate object is infused with life through the use of lively curves, alert eyes and vibrant details. The bright colors with its super glossy finish and exaggerated details straddle the arenas of traditional forms and contemporary rendition.

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