21: Introduction to sculpture with Arzan Khambatta

Sculptor Arzan has designed some of the most prominent public sculptures in the current time. An architect from Rachna Sansad’s Academy of Architecture, Mumbai, got his first break when he attended a vacation art class from school, under the guidance of a noted artist Anand Mohan Naik at the late Sculptor Adi Davierwala’s workshop. He now sculpts from metal sheets, straps, rods, pipes and various other sections that are twisted, beaten and textured to give the desired effect. Arzaan lives and works in Mumbai.

How do you conceive a sculpture? What is your process of gathering material? What comes first, the form or the material?

What is the role of space while making an artwork? Do spaces contextualise art? How do you decide spaces for work which is not commissioned?

At what level do you stop abstraction to give relevance to your artwork? How do you decide that level?

What is the role of sculpture for society at large / human kind at large?

How do you decide a value of your work?