Artists from Maya and India

Both Mayan and Indian believed god in their way, and they believe affect on their artworks: Mayan believed that their leader, Pacal, will be raised as a god after death; therefore, one of them sculpture it on the wall of the Temple of inscriptions. Indian also sculpture basing on their believe about the god’s battle on the Mahishamardini Cave called ‘Durga Fighting the Buffalo Demon’.

Maya’s sculpture and India’s sculpture have some similarities. Both sculptures were neither painted nor drawn on the canvas. The artists from both countries used the installation; to create spaces themselves as the art, basing on their background. Mayan used part of Temple wall and Indian used part of the cave wall. Additionally, their sculptures have the specific details in smooth sculptured wall about cultural custom and background basing on their life. For example, gods form both sculptures wear tall and weird crowns, bracelets on each hand, jewelries around each foot, long necklace, and short pants. These sculptures also have the boundaries around them.

Maya’s sculpture has unknown artist and title. It shows that Mayan ruler, Pacal, dead as a god upon an altar and surrounds with waves, faces, flowers, and bird which are celebrating about his glorious death. There were some patterns in boundary such as types of the waves, x-shape, and puzzle-shapes around a ritual area. Moreover, this sculpture used low relief or bas-relief, which the figure project only slightly from the background. All shapes form the sculpture such as Pacal and the waves have been sculptured in flat from into the wall.

Unlike Maya’s sculpture, India’s sculpture has a title called ‘Durga Fighting the Buffalo Demon’ and used high relief. All figures such as gods, demons, and swords modeled in the round, forms project more boldly from their background with some depth between figures and background. In addition, it has more than one god fight against the buffalo demons for good. It shows Indian’s positive belief to their gods whose watch their lives and protect their lives from the demons. Furthermore, this sculpture’s background is rough and has some vertical lines and diagonals.

It is three birds with one stone. I can learn one of the cultures of the Maya and Indians, have a fun, and learn the technique about sculpture and installation. I have some time to sculpt in the future.