Ancient statues from the Indus Valley Civilisation have been reanimated in a new series of art works by a young illustrator from Mumbai, being showcased by the animation studio Vaanarsena.
In the digital recreations by Nikhil Shinde, 28, a 5,000-year-old fertility goddess, a royal priest, a mother goddess and Harappa’s famous dancing girl come alive. The dancing girl even gets her feet back, and on her ankles are elaborate ghungroos.
“The idea was not to change or modernise any of these characters but to offer accurate, artistic depictions,” says Shinde, an illustrator with an ad agency by day.
His reference point was the book 5,000 Years of Indian Art by Sushma Bahl, which catalogues Indian art through the millennia. He puts jewellery where the jewellery was, poses and expressions remain true to form, ornaments as close to the original pieces as possible.
“I tried to transport myself to that period, and put myself in the place of the artist,” says Shinde….