Indian artist Nek Chand, who created the Rock Garden, a sprawling display of quirky sculptures crafted out of discarded household items and waste in the northern city of Chandigarh, has died. He was 90.
Chand died in a hospital in Chandigarh on Friday after being hospitalised for chest pains, the Press Trust of India reported. In a condolence message, prime minister Narendra Modi said that Nek Chand would always be remembered for his “artistic genius and fabulous creation”.
Chand began working on his craft in the 1960s, when he cleared out a small patch in the forest behind Chandigarh’s Sukhna Lake and started creating charming statues and figurines using everything from discarded rubber tires to colourful glass bangles.
The 25-acre garden draws tens of thousands of visitors every year.
* With Agencies
