Dekanso Art

Dekanso Art Ratilal Kansodaria grew up in a remote village of Gujarat. A place where life is intertwined with nature and untouched by the complexities of urban life. A place where there is an unshaken faith in God and every festival is celebrated with colour and fervour. Where rituals and beliefs remain intact, from birth to death. Where, after a hard day's toil in the fields, men and women find release in dances and songs and tears. In this lovely warm atmosphere of the village Ratilal experienced the touch of wet clay. He made toys of clay. He carved idols out of limestone. He fashioned tiny wooden sculptures and he drew gigantic rangoli designs with brightly coloured powder. It was inevitable that he became an artist. As a child, he would watch birds criss-cross the sky, and think of air planes. To him, birds circling endlessly, gliding effortlessly appeared to have reached God. He would dream of flying. Ratilal still dreams of flying. Oneness with nature is an essential part of his life. As is the happiness derived from the day-to-day, the mundane. For him, the village is the whole world. Wherever you may be, if you remember your village, it is as good as offering prayers to God. The fragrance of this belief pervades Ratilal's mind, and therefore his sculpture.