Lot 132: T. V. Santhosh (b. 1968)

T. V. Santhosh (b. 1968)
Funny Enough?
signed, inscribed, titled and dated ''FUNNY ENOUGH?' T.V. SANTHOSH-2007 OIL ON CANVAS SIZE: 3' x 5' TV Santhosh' (on the reverse)
oil on canvas
36 x 60 in. (91.4 x 152.4 cm.)
Painted in 2007

Mumbai, Sakshi Gallery, Annual Exhibition, 2007

The title Funny Enough? is a parody where the artist is addressing the aftermath and the byproducts of war and terrorism in a consumer society. Portrayed here is a soldier with a prosthetic limb - a common sight in today's world. However, the twist in the plot is driven by the gesture and the attitude of the soldier. There are several subplots running parallel in this very simple composition. The brilliance of TV Santhosh comes to affect by his minimalist attitude, uncluttered compositions filled with metaphors and commentaries on present-day political unrest.

The diagonal placement of the protagonist leaning over and showing his good arm is confronted by his prosthetic limb creating tension between the opposites - strong and weak. The gun holster still in place which once held his gun, now missing, speaks of the power this soldier once yielded. The gesture reflecting pride, while the viewer cannot but empathize with the soldier's loss creates an unsettling disconnect between the subject and the viewer. Perhaps a victim of a landmine, the soldier is one of thousands of war veterans who have lost their limbs. The byproduct of this is the growing prosthetic industry in India which the artist is directly exposed to. The availability of cheap labor makes India attractive for such industries and the artist as a social critic reflects upon this through this very incisive imagery of a common soldier.