All things fine and Italian
15 Aug 2013 4:35 AM IST
She defines one of the most poignant moment s of her life as the one where her mother got her a canvas to fit her six-year-old frame so as she could draw. For Simona Bocchi, sculptor, painter, interior-designer, jewelry designer, the desire to create forms out of nature grew in her as constantly as her creativity did.
Italian by birth and essence, Bocchi has made India her home over the last few years. Bocchi was born in Monza, Italy and her initial enlightenment in her field happened in her academic sojourn through art schools in Milan, Brera, Wimbledon, finally graduating in Carrara. She came to India in 2006, invited to organise an exhibition in Delhi by the Italian Embassy. And then there was no looking back. Her experience in India brought her closer to the spiritual search she had been on forever and Udaipur soon became her home.
The lady who chiseled magic out of the famous Carrara marble pieces, now honed her art along the finesse of miniatures from Jaipur, ethereal sculptures from Khajuraho brought to stunning culmination in the magic called India. Traditional met the contemporary and through the intricate process of from being to non-being, knowing to unknowing, Bocchi weaves in each experience of creation with its uniqueness into her work.
Bocchi dabbles in sculpture, in paintings and in jewelery designs where she pours herself out. She loves creating pieces, working in tandem with interior designers, that create a dialogue with the space explains Bocchi. Her work speaks to her even before the process is on its way, that is just what differentiates simple artistry from pure genius.
Bocchi says that she is fascinated by the balance of the yin and the yang and her creations stem from that like the living, breathing, pulsating mass of energy that transforms a piece of granite, marble, bronze, jute or even silver into a stunning piece of art. When I feel the masculine energy in me I like liberating it by making a piece that needs that kind of physical effort from me, on other days when I feel more feminine I prefer to use soft touches, brush tips to create what I want, explains Bocchi.
She likes playing with the sense of movement in metal and wax as much as she likes the raw physicality of a piece of marble. It has happened at times that while I have been working on a particular vision, I cut away a piece of rock to expose a surface that isn't a part of what I have perceived as my art, but it fits in so perfectly - I let it remain that way says Bocchi.
This unique flexibility and adaptability to the process of creation makes every work of her as fluid as they are perfect end products of her vision. That is how nature works, she says, adding that conserving nature is one of the most vital themes for her - that is where the most famous symbol of the tree comes in for her.
This fascination with the creative forces is perhaps why the theme of Shiva and Parvati inspires her so much. It is the ultimate cosmic fusion of not only the love of a man and a woman, but of creation and energy, she says. This fascination has transformed into her creation - Shiva Shakti.
Bocchi's spiritual growth is intricately woven into her India chapter.
While she was always interested in the inner universe, her thoughts found form in India, through her travels and her work. She made it a point to visit the Kumbh Mela, in India answers you seek are right there, the people are more open, you come far closer to the real sense of spirituality here than anywhere in the world she says.
Currently working on a personal exhibition scheduled for next year and at the same time concentrating on her book, Bocchi has come from the land of renaissance to the land of spirituality and like the indomitable force of nature, her art keeps flowing and growing.
Italian by birth and essence, Bocchi has made India her home over the last few years. Bocchi was born in Monza, Italy and her initial enlightenment in her field happened in her academic sojourn through art schools in Milan, Brera, Wimbledon, finally graduating in Carrara. She came to India in 2006, invited to organise an exhibition in Delhi by the Italian Embassy. And then there was no looking back. Her experience in India brought her closer to the spiritual search she had been on forever and Udaipur soon became her home.
The lady who chiseled magic out of the famous Carrara marble pieces, now honed her art along the finesse of miniatures from Jaipur, ethereal sculptures from Khajuraho brought to stunning culmination in the magic called India. Traditional met the contemporary and through the intricate process of from being to non-being, knowing to unknowing, Bocchi weaves in each experience of creation with its uniqueness into her work.
Bocchi dabbles in sculpture, in paintings and in jewelery designs where she pours herself out. She loves creating pieces, working in tandem with interior designers, that create a dialogue with the space explains Bocchi. Her work speaks to her even before the process is on its way, that is just what differentiates simple artistry from pure genius.
Bocchi says that she is fascinated by the balance of the yin and the yang and her creations stem from that like the living, breathing, pulsating mass of energy that transforms a piece of granite, marble, bronze, jute or even silver into a stunning piece of art. When I feel the masculine energy in me I like liberating it by making a piece that needs that kind of physical effort from me, on other days when I feel more feminine I prefer to use soft touches, brush tips to create what I want, explains Bocchi.
She likes playing with the sense of movement in metal and wax as much as she likes the raw physicality of a piece of marble. It has happened at times that while I have been working on a particular vision, I cut away a piece of rock to expose a surface that isn't a part of what I have perceived as my art, but it fits in so perfectly - I let it remain that way says Bocchi.
This unique flexibility and adaptability to the process of creation makes every work of her as fluid as they are perfect end products of her vision. That is how nature works, she says, adding that conserving nature is one of the most vital themes for her - that is where the most famous symbol of the tree comes in for her.
This fascination with the creative forces is perhaps why the theme of Shiva and Parvati inspires her so much. It is the ultimate cosmic fusion of not only the love of a man and a woman, but of creation and energy, she says. This fascination has transformed into her creation - Shiva Shakti.
Bocchi's spiritual growth is intricately woven into her India chapter.
While she was always interested in the inner universe, her thoughts found form in India, through her travels and her work. She made it a point to visit the Kumbh Mela, in India answers you seek are right there, the people are more open, you come far closer to the real sense of spirituality here than anywhere in the world she says.
Currently working on a personal exhibition scheduled for next year and at the same time concentrating on her book, Bocchi has come from the land of renaissance to the land of spirituality and like the indomitable force of nature, her art keeps flowing and growing.
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