Striking similarities in face and flesh don’t make my paintings monotonous, thanks to the different activities and props I use in each piece. But who is this man? I can’t call him a hero; he’s neither my self-image nor my ‘muse.’ In a way, he’s my inverse alter-ego, someone who stands apart from me. Yet, over the years, this chubby, indulgent, caricature-like figure has found a permanent home in my work. Humour and sarcasm have shaped his facial and bodily features.
In the beginning, I treated this face like a frame, with those goggle glasses framing more images that told a story. But as time went on, the figure started to engage in situations that hinted at the unfolding socio-political landscape. For instance, the skin of this protagonist is made of newspapers, suggesting he might just be a “media creation.” It’s essential to understand that my goal as an artist isn’t to deliver immediate commentary on the everyday social or political reality. Instead, I’m more interested in exploring how a person gets caught up in daily life. If that daily existence weren’t tainted by harsh political realities, my protagonist wouldn’t be able to embody the joys and struggles of a political being.
Even as I deny any political readings of my work, I can’t help but wonder what keeps drawing me back to this one image—this one overpowering presence. The fun lies in the ‘attributes’ each of these portraits carries: sometimes a piggy bank, a rosary, a donkey head… and always a row of houses in the background. These objects, though tiny compared to the protagonist, guide the narrative within each piece. As these stories unfold and the protagonist occasionally appears funny, some may still grumble about seeing “one face—one image—only one overpowering presence!” To those viewers, I’d gently remind them that these pictures don’t just repeat an image; they reflect our lived experiences of everyday life.
Recently, I am trying to blend the structure and thought process of my paintings with Indian miniatures. In this way, I feel like I will be able to better present my paintings in a contemporary way, as well as in a way that reflects my own culture.