Important Notice

“The central theme of my several phases has always been man and his life.”
- RAMESHWAR BROOTA

Although Rameshwar Broota spent his nascent career in the 1950s and 1960s as an accomplished portraitist, it was in the late 1960s that he began centring the male form in his work. In most of his oeuvre, he uses this subject as a means of interrogation of the self and to examine and transcend the existential concerns of humanity. Moved... “The central theme of my several phases has always been man and his life.”
- RAMESHWAR BROOTA

Although Rameshwar Broota spent his nascent career in the 1950s and 1960s as an accomplished portraitist, it was in the late 1960s that he began centring the male form in his work. In most of his oeuvre, he uses this subject as a means of interrogation of the self and to examine and transcend the existential concerns of humanity. Moved by the poverty and economic disparity he witnessed in everyday life, he began a series of works portraying the emaciated bodies of labourers in postures of resignation, painted with thin layers of oil paint which created a transparency that emphasised their anguish and indignation. “His need to capture the inner character of people and their condition as victims of a corrupt state machinery, necessitated the abandoning of the familiar genre of portraiture, and instead focus on the bodies that were inflicted with physical signs of suffering and pain.” (Roobina Karode, “Visions of Interiority: Interrogating the Male Body,” Rameshwar Broota Interrogating the Male Body, New Delhi: Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, 2015, p. 23)

In the following decade, Broota moved on to his renowned allegorical Ape series, of which the present lot is a part. These works of the 1970s demonstrate a more humorous tone than his earlier portraiture as he uses greedy apes and hybrid ape-man figures in wryly comical settings in a satirical commentary on the corruption and decadence of India’s bureaucracy. His characters often resemble those occupying “the pillars of society”— government officials, officers, and havaldars or military officers. “Perched on sofas or armchairs, their demeanor showed overt and obvious signs of glaring consumerism.” (Roobina Karode, “Ape/Man Chapter I,” Rameshwar Broota Interrogating the Male Body, New Delhi: Kiran Nadar Museum of Art, 2015, p. 41)

In the artist’s words, “[Society’s bureaucrats] had accumulated more than enough to get by luxuriously and their lack of sincerity was responsible for the deprivation I had been painting about. That was when the image of apes came to me and I began the series by that name, using the figures satirically. There were malnourished apes to represent the deprived and fattened, ugly ones to represent the bureaucrats. My intention was to depict the primacy of animal instinct in man and the crudity that defines the latter set of people despite their show of being civilized.” (The artist quoted in “Journey Through the Ages,” The Asian Age, accessed through brootarameshwar.com, online)

Titled The Lost Self, the present lot hints at a mankind that is still in the throes of evolution and yet to shake off the primitiveness of its ancestors. “...you will find it is an impression of a gorilla, a prehistoric man… as if the prehistoric man who has journeyed years and developed in so many ways still has the same tendencies, emotions and spirit to live.” (The artist quoted in “Rameshwar Broota in Conversation With Rob Dean & Kito de Boer", Modern Indian Painting: Jane & Kito de Boer Collection, Rob Dean and Giles Tillotson eds., Ahmedabad: Mapin Publishing, 2019, p. 263) Broota bifurcates the canvas into two vertical planes and uses neat contours to delineate a topsy-turvy world in which an ape, positioned upright, swings gleefully towards tables and chairs that have been turned upside down, with a shattered glass in the corner emphasising the chaos that has been wrought. Despite the seriousness of the subject, the artist brings in levity through a bright colour palette and the elongated caricature of the ape. Observes writer and curator Roobina Karode, “The initial works of the Ape series consisted of bold, bulky forms dominating the picture plane often rendered in awkward angles... [These] were not only significant due to their animated content and narrative but also for his use of vibrant colours used intelligently for satirical effect.” (Karode, p. 41-42) The scale of the artist’s works also emphasises the depth of his concern and preoccupation with his subject.

After examining the misuse of power and wealth in society in his Ape series, by the 1980s Broota “shifted his focus from outward concerns to looking inward”. (Karode, p. 25) The simian forms gave way to contours of the human body in his Man series through which he began to examine the “...ambivalence of body and being, spirit and matter, fragility and resilience.” (Karode, p. 25)

PROPERTIES FROM THE COLLECTION OF SIMRAN AND VIR KOTAK (LOTS 36-37)

IN BENEFIT OF THE EIGHT FOUNDATION

As passionate individuals deeply immersed in the art world, we are the proud founders of The Eight Foundation. Being artists, collectors and enthusiasts, our natural inclination towards larger-scale artworks led to the organic evolution of the Foundation. Recognising the primacy of the exhibition-making process and the necessity for curated spaces beyond commercial galleries, our journey began with the intention to support art practices that transcend the momentary display. The vision of The Eight Foundation is to serve as a catalyst for artists, nurturing an environment that prolongs the existence and resonance of their works within the community’s consciousness.

At The Eight Foundation, we believe in the transformative power of art to transcend boundaries, engage diverse perspectives, and shape social, political, and environmental discourse. Our mission is to establish a platform for contemporary art practices that goes beyond mere collecting and financial support. We endeavour to cultivate an inclusive ecosystem where artists can unleash their creativity, engage in interdisciplinary exchange, and sustain meaningful dialogues with audiences over time.

Through our upcoming residency programme in the Andaman Islands, we offer artists a unique habitat in a remote and biodiverse setting. Our 5-acre residency site, equipped with specialised studios for ceramics, woodworking, metalworking, and upcycling plastic and other found materials, provides an ideal space for artists to push their boundaries and develop their artistic practices. Surrounded by breathtaking views of the sea and forest, the residency aims to inspire artists and foster a deep connection with nature, fuelling their creative odysseys.

A short distance away will be the main site where we are developing an organic and adaptable sculpture park where art harmonises with nature to create an immersive experience. Spanning 25 acres of diverse terrain, including jungles, elevated areas and paddy fields, this site invites visitors and residents to explore a network of pathways that wind through mangroves, beaches, and reefs. In addition, we envision establishing a white cube gallery as an extension of the sculpture park, providing a formal space for artistic expression.

The Eight Foundation is deeply committed to environmental consciousness and sustainability. We have founded another organisation in the Andaman Islands, the Andamans Conservancy Foundation, which is working on environmental conservation with a focus on social equity for the settler communities of the Andaman Archipelago.

Our aim is to fill gaps in data on localised issues in the region of Middle Andaman, where our pilot project on marine and terrestrial litter is currently based. As an organisation, the Andamans Conservancy Foundation’s policy is to ensure that our team comprises of people from the local communities. For us, conversations around conservation and ecological and social development cannot happen without the direct involvement of all the island’s stakeholders.

By curating exhibitions, organising innovative exhibition-making processes, and fostering cross-pollination between contemporary art and other disciplines, we seek to foster collaboration and dialogue among artists, thinkers, and stakeholders in the art world. The Eight Foundation perceives art to be a powerful force that shapes social, political, and environmental discourse, nurturing critical thinking, empathy, and transformation.

Our commitment to quality over quantity ensures meaningful engagements with artists and stakeholders. We seek to curate artworks that emanate from a place of authenticity, represent diverse voices, and transcend politics and identity. We advocate for dialogues that delve beyond surface interpretations, exploring the honesty and thought processes behind each artwork. Acknowledging the challenges of remaining a permanent and relevant catalyst in an ever-changing world, The Eight Foundation remains dedicated to quality, collaboration and meaningful engagement with artists and communities. We adapt and evolve to ensure our continued impact in the art world, with aspirations to extend our reach beyond current regions of focus (i.e., The Andamans, Singapore and Delhi) to engage with artists and communities across Southeast Asia and West Asia.

Towards furthering our projects in the Andaman Islands, particularly The Eight Foundation residency, we have decided to bring to auction two artworks very dear to us-works by artists Rameshwar Broota and Gulam Mohammed Sheikh whom we deeply admire, which we have had the privilege of both living with, and that have been a part of beautifully curated shows at the Foundation’s space. We sincerely hope that by parting with these seminal artworks, we are able to add another brick to the dream that we are creating, and further what we believe will be an invaluable institution in the contemporary art firmament.

- SIMRAN AND VIR KOTAK

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