Junk Art

Transmogrify is the theme for the Daily Posts Weekly Photo Challenge. As a fan of Calvin, I am familiar with the term, although I must confess I didn’t know the exact meaning. Do you? Transmogrify means “to change in appearance or form, especially strangely or grotesquely; transform.”

Interestingly, have just the right bunch of pictures for this challenge! In fact you could almost say the challenge was transmogrified to suit my priceless collection 😀

The entire credit for this unique garden goes to Nek Chand an ordinary transport official in Chandigarh, India, who saw beauty in junk.

In the early 1960’s, Nek Chand cleared a patch of jungle and began sculpting figures discarded material he found at hand. Nek Chand built up the mass with a cement and sand mix before adding a final coating of smoothly burnished pure cement combined with waste materials such as broken glass, bangles, crockery, mosaic and iron-foundry slag.

Nek Chand’s creativity blossomed and he went on to make hundreds of sculptures set in a series of interlinking courtyards, working secretly at night for fear of being discovered by the authorities. He succeeded in hiding his art for 18 years. And this is the bit that fascinates me the most – he worked alone at night after a hard day’s work just to satisfy his own passion for creativity. That for me at least is the highest and purest form of art there could be.

When his work was discovered, the authorities were in a quandary. But though it was illegal, even the red-tape and rule bound bureaucracy couldn’t deny the unique creative talent of Nek Chand. He was given a salary, more space and workforce to assist him in expanding his vision, which now spreads over 25 acres. Today, there are several thousand sculptures set in large mosaic courtyards linked by walled paths and deep gorges. Nek Chand’s creation also combines huge buildings with a series of interlinking waterfalls. The Rock Garden is now acknowledged as one of the modern wonders of the world.

I bring you a few pictures from this one of a kind Rock Garden.

view
Made from broken plates, cups and tiles
drink
Care for a glass cup of wine?
cups
The man from outer space

Married Indian women, especially in North India are expected to wear colored glass bangles and the more the merrier. And of course they break. Nek Chand collected these and recycled them in his own way. Have a look.

Bangles.jpg
Dolls created from broken pieces of colored glass bangles. Quite a gorgeous skirt isn’t it?
bangle1
Broken a dinner set? No problem. Makes him a convenient stool. Speaking of which don’t miss the plumbing decor 😉
20161021_125157
Peacocks made of broken glass bangles
bangle2
Off with the skirts and on with the trousers
matka
Sculpture of a lady
ladies
Two ladies
knees
Don’t miss the knobbly knees or her pedestal

For your sake, I hope you liked these transmogrifications for I have lots more and will be sure to display them at the earliest opportunity 😉 😀

Thanks for dropping by – please don’t hesitate to leave a note 🙂

Wishing you all a very Happy Diwali once again 🙂

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Dahlia

Email me at mysilverstreaks@gmail.com or tweet me @mysilverstreaks

25 thoughts on “Junk Art”

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  8. What a privilege to be introduced to this inspiring art and passion….I’ve never seen the like…and, you have captured the creations so beautifully….you also have a fantastic vocabulary and writing style….such an absolute pleasure to read…thank you for sharing 🙂

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  14. great work of art. Peacocks are my favourite. That Nek Chand had to make his sculptures in the cover of darkness reminds me of a British Artist called Banksy. A lot of his graffiti appeared overnight on walls. In the beginning, many of these graffiti were destroyed by the councils as they called them acts of vandalism. Now they are highly prized pieces of art. Even the councils which destroyed earlier graffiti are now regrating their act of vandalism. Incidentally, Banksy has appeared in many parts of the world and has left his mark. Lot of his work are political and social comments.

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