By Jang.S.Verman
Sculpture is a medium to play with masses to snatch out purposeful structure to look at. Though sculpture is familiar to all of us but the vastness of its field is known to a few. A person dealing with this field is known as Sculptor, generally a male person. It is a rare phenomena that women are engaged in this form of art. Smt. Gobind Kaur, a well known sculptor of J&K state, was such a woman who opted this field as her profession.
Late (Smt.) Gobind Kaur, a name in the field of art, had been the student of Late (Sh.) Vidya Ratan Khajuria, a well known sculptor of Jammu, became the first woman sculptor of J&K state. Born in 1954, in a lower middle class family, she had the aptitude towards drawing & painting which later-on turned to be her career. In the early days of her life she had to face the difficulties and mundane realities of life and tried hard to cope up with them. Even, during the days of her degree classes of fine arts, she had to manage her financial support by engaging herself in tuitions. Due to her hard working nature and sincerity of purpose, she was able to get service in the Institute of Music & Fine Arts, Srinagar, immediately after completing her degree in 1979.
In her work, following the footsteps of her teacher Sh. V R Khajuria, she started to make compositions in a style of her teacher i.e. non-figurative, free form compositions which were in progress those days among the sculptors. Smt. Gobind Kaur, sober and soft by heart and inclined towards humanitarian approach in her attitude, very soon melted her style of sculpture to figurative one. Soon human figures appeared in all aspects of her creativity. This made her free to express herself in her own way, which is a pre- requite for creativity and expression. The sculptures like ‘Girl with Skates’ speaks of her liberty as a woman as well as an artist. The theme of the sculpture depicts a girl on rollers as if flying in the air. The art got applauded when its entry in an art exhibition brought an award for this entry at BHU, Benaras. Subsequently more works poured out of her creative process and skillful hands. Her mind was filled with motherly affection towards small kids. She made so many portraits of young children she came across. Their innocence fascinated her and she could not resist from engaging those kids for making their portraits. The creative part of that practice proved to be fruitful. She made works in series on children like ‘The Little Monks’.
In the long experience with sculpture, she became familiar with multiple mediums like clay, terracotta, plaster of Paris, cement and metal casting, wood, metal and other non traditional materials and so forth. She had an adventurous approach towards learning different techniques and using material as medium. At one time, she associated herself with the professional utensil makers in metal (Bhathiar) to make herself efficient in their technique of moulding metals. She, not only played with these mediums but tested her skill in Graphic Art and Drawing mediums also. Her drawing ‘DEVI’ had been popular among her friends and acquaintances. She even did a lot of work in Wood Prints and was able to put up a show of prints titled “Devi’ at Kala Kendra, Jammu. She also attended workshop of printmaking at Jammu in this context. Her wood print titled ‘Devi’ was awarded in the AIFACS, N. Delhi and Cultural Academy joint show at Jammu also.
By her nature she was popular among her colleagues and known ones, for her peaceful and poise temperament. She generally was seen busy in her working with a view of a person tied with her dupatta on her head and a cup of tea nearby. According to Sh. Raj Kumar Behrupia, an Instructor in Music Deptt. of Institute of Music & Fine Arts, Jammu, ‘She had a religious bent of mind and devoted a few minutes to read pages from religious or pious scriptures prior to starting her routine work in the field. She, having qualities with difference and always busy doing something with sculpture, was a role model for students of the institution.’ According to Sh. Gokal Dembi, a retired teacher of Smt. Gobind Kaur at the Institute, ‘I always found Gobind Kaur as a dedicated worker and always burning herself to create something, finally turning to be a very good sculptor and created beautiful art pieces in this process.’ Dr. Lalit Gupta, an art historian & art critic writes in ‘Kashmir Insight’ - a magazine published from Srinagar (edited by Sh. Hasrat Gadda), ‘..a scenario the emergence of Gobind Kaur….as first modern woman sculptor of Jammu certainly merits a mention, her significance lies not only being the first female sculptor of Jammu Region of J&K but to remain steadfastly committed to chosen vacation till her death in a tragic road accident on 11th August, 2011.’
By virtue of her qualitative work, it was displayed at different places in the country like: New Delhi; Jaipur; Chandigarh; Raipur; Bombay; Srinagar; Bhopal; Jammu; Amritsar etc. She was invited to participate in artist camps and workshops at national level. She has attended All India Artists’ camp organized by Lalit Kala Akademi, N. Delhi at Jammu-2006; Graphics Workshop at Kala Kendra, Jammu-2006; All India Sculptors’ Camp by J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages, Srinagar-1978, Jammu- 1981, 2007; All India sculptors’ Camp by Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur-1994; Art for Hospital Artists Camp by PGI, Chandigarh-1994; All India Artists camp by North Zone Cultural Centre, Patiala; Artists Camp by Viraj Kala Kendra, Jammu-1995 etc.
Her works were acquired by different art galleries and museums including Lalit Kala Akademi, New Delhi; Bharat Bhawan, Bhopal; Jawahar Kala Kendra, Jaipur; NZCC, Patiala and J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages, Jammu and Srinagar etc. She was honoured by Indian Academy of Fine Arts, Amritsar; J&K Academy of Art, Culture & Languages, Jammu; All India Fine Art & Crafts Society, N.Delhi; Department of Plastic Arts, BHU, Benaras and Maha Kaushal Kala Parishad, Raipur etc.
During one of the tribute paying programme of J&K Punjabi Sahit Sangam, held at K L Saigal Hall, Cultural Academy, Jammu, recently, S. Devinder Singh ‘Vishav Nagrik’ recited the following verse in her name:
Traashna Pathar Nu
Te Bhar Dena Wich Apne Andar Di Rooh,
Wah! But Ghaade, Kaadar Kudrat Nu Saaj.
Aap Rab Ban Baith
Tu But Ghaadi! Iss Shilap Kala Wich
Pahla Naam, Pahli Naari.
But Traashdi , Jeondey Haav Bhaav Banaandi,
Aap Khamosh, Jimven Sehaj Awastha ‘Ch,
Gum Sum, Kisse Rab To Ghat Nahin,
Tainu Mera Pranaam!
Her contribution has been acknowledged by various organizations by holding All India Art Exhibitions and literary programmes in the memory of Late (Smt.) Gobind Kaur. These organizations include Viraj Kala Kendra, Jammu; J&K Centre for Creative Arts (JKCCA),(Regd.), Jammu and J&K Punjabi Sahit Sangam (Regd.), Jammu.
(The writer can reach at jangs.verman@gmail.com)
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