Lot 1515: T. V. SANTHOSH

T. V. SANTHOSH
(B. 1968)
Untitled
signed, titled, inscribed and dated 'UNTITLED T.V. SANTHOSH OIL ON CANVAS SIZE: 60 X 120 cm (DIPTYCH) TV Santhosh' (on the reverse of left panel); signed, titled, inscribed and dated 'UNTITLED T.V. SANTHOSH-2004 OIL ON CANVAS SIZE: 60 X 120 cm (DIPTYCH) TV Santhosh' (on the reverse of right panel)
oil on canvas, diptych
each: 60.9 x 60.9 cm. (24 x 24 in.)
overall: 60.9 x 121.9 cm. (24 x 48 in.)
Painted in 2004 (2)

Rendered in his signature style, this painting is one of the earliest works of the series in which T.V. Santhosh has turned a positive photographic image from the media into its negative. Deliberately eliminating specific details, Santhosh allows the subject to take on a much grander scale, addressing the universal concerns of war, terrorism and violence.

In a world where one does not know who the real enemy is, 'war and terror' are the common words for both those who resist and those who attack. Dog, as man's best friend, is the main protagonist. In conversation with the artist, Santhosh explains how dogs were used in World War II as suicide bombers with a timed explosive tied to their bodies. Today, dogs are used to locate land mines in war-ridden areas and to sniff out potential threats. The artist subverts preconceived notions of the loyalty and faithfulness of dogs towards humans by exposing their service to man's self destructive instincts.