Chemould artists: Museum acquisitions

Matter, 2014
N S Harsha
Bronze Sculpture
104.72 x 53.54 x 53.54 inches
266 x 136 x 136 cm
Acquired by the Mori Art Museum, Tokyo in 2017

Matter depicts a monkey holding close a round circular object with one of its hands while pointing towards the sky with the other. Human beings have a long history of gazing up at the starry skies and the universe, which also represents the history of human curiosity towards the future and unknown worlds, and the human desire to attain them. The word “matter” typically refers to a concrete substance or thing - but is this monkey trying to bring this unidentifiable mass of matter into outer space? The model for this figure is the Hanuman langur, a monkey that is worshipped deeply as the god Hanuman.  This lone sage-like monkey is perhaps pointing us towards the mysteries of the universe.

According to N S Harsha, “This work formed from the depths of speechlessness”
Exhibition History
- Kochi Muziris Biennale, Kochi India, 2014
- Charming Journey, Mori Art Museum, Tokyo, Japan, 2017