Vipul Kumar's Ceramic Exhibition 'Tap and Tapish' Opens at Bikaner House
Artist Vipul Kumar's new ceramic exhibition titled 'Tap and Tapish' has opened at Bikaner House in Delhi, featuring sculptures that explore material discipline and the transformative heat of the kiln. Presented by Reshma Chordia's Art Explore and curated by Anita Dube, the exhibition marks Kumar's artistic transition from his beginnings in stone carving to ceramic sculpture.
The works on display were developed in Kumar's studio in Bhainslana, a village in Rajasthan known for its black marble quarries. Beginning his creative life as a stone carver, Kumar learned the physical demands of weight and resistance before turning to clay. His practice draws upon these tactile foundations to construct sculptures that shift between abstraction and recognizable shapes, incorporating elements of mythology, cultural memory, and landscape.
Curator Anita Dube described the sculptures as transforming "the fragility and tenderness of wet clay into a fired strength of bone." According to Kumar's practice statement, clay provided unique possibilities because it could be shaped and altered by hand before heat in the kiln completed the transformation. The exhibition title reflects this dialogue: 'Tap' represents sustained practice and discipline, while 'Tapish' refers to the firing heat that permanently fixes the material.
Speaking on the elemental nature of his work, Kumar noted, "The environment is what I am interested in." His creative process relies on basic elements: earth in the form of clay, water to make it workable, air to prepare it, and fire to set it. Early guidance from mentors Balbir Singh Katt and Himmat Shah, along with reflections on Kabir, Mahatma Gandhi, Buddhist philosophy, and experiences in Varanasi and Sarnath, helped shape his perspective. Describing his independent direction, Kumar said, "I have something to say on my own."
Reshma Chordia, Director of Art Explore, highlighted the physical weight and scale of the sculptures. "Vipul builds from where he comes from, and it shows in every surface," Chordia said. "The heat of the making is still in it, the weight of hands that know their material. The work carries a rare sensitivity, and it stands with real strength. He works at a scale you seldom see. Expect sculpture that holds its ground and asks you to slow down and stay with it."
The opening event at Bikaner House brought together diplomats, collectors, and designers. Attendees included the Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia, H.E. Mr. Siniša Pavić; Deputy Head of Mission at the Italian Embassy Aurora Russi; art collector Lekha Poddar; architect Edoardo Fontana; artist and fashion designer Harpreet Narula; Dilip Cherian; and Neelam Pratap Rudy.
