Important Notice

A dedicated documenter of big cities and their metropolitan ways of life, Jitish Kallat’s canvases reveal the nuances of urban existence through a cipher of images, text and subtle references. Born, raised and working in the teeming metropolis of Mumbai, it is not surprising that autobiographical events often share the frame with fictional ones, and that the artist frequently uses his own image in his work, effectively equating the self with the... A dedicated documenter of big cities and their metropolitan ways of life, Jitish Kallat’s canvases reveal the nuances of urban existence through a cipher of images, text and subtle references. Born, raised and working in the teeming metropolis of Mumbai, it is not surprising that autobiographical events often share the frame with fictional ones, and that the artist frequently uses his own image in his work, effectively equating the self with the ubiquitous urban protagonist. Kallat responds to the massive contradictions of city life with humour, as the title of the present lot suggests. Yet, his wit is pointed, veiling both critique and cautions for his viewers and fellow residents.

Kallat’s “…paintings share attributes common to all major metropolii, exploit both the glitz and the sleaze that drives such large-scale urban economies, wrestle to make entertainment meaningful and philosophy mirthful. The resulting pictures can claim no culture entirely as their own and enact a duplicitous charade as to not only the nationality but also the pedigree of their maker” (Peter Nagy, “When Flesh Creeps, the Mind Boggles” in Panic Acid: Drawings, Paintings, Photographs, Bodhi Art exhibition catalogue, Singapore, 2005).

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