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Lot Essay
“We are taught as children to always think about things far, far away, whereas in fact the secrets of the universe are all here, around us.” – Subodh Gupta
Subodh Gupta's iconic series on stainless steel utensils is a commentary on contemporary India. Stainless steel utensils are symbols of traditional Indian family life that transcend class, religion and ethnicity, being one of the first truly aspirational objects of modern India. "Hindu kitchens are as important as prayer rooms. These pots are like something sacred, part of important rituals." (Artist quote C. Mooney, 'Subodh Gupta: Idol Thief,' ArtReview, 17 December 2007, p. 57) The mesmerizing reflective quality of the utensils in this painting is a celebration of the prosperity they represent.
In conversation with Maxwell Williams, the artist further explains, “When he finally moved to Delhi, [Subodh] Gupta says he was utterly lost, unable to figure out how to become an artist. He could draw and paint, but he didn’t know how to stand out. […] Frustrated, broke and knowing he needed a change, Gupta was invited to do a residency in New Delhi. ‘When I got this residency’, I thought, ‘This is the time that I must do something that I want to do.’, he remembers. ‘It was the first time in my life that I looked at myself and asked, who am I? I remembered my childhood, and the stools I sat in for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I said, Oh wow, why not use that stool? I bought a stool from the market readymade and I painted everything I remembered from my childhood.’ Gupta’s ability to translate and elevate the ordinary only grew from there. He remains intrinsically tied to his rural past, and as an artist he can’t help but make what would be familiar and normal look beautiful and poignant.” (M. Williams, ‘Deep Roots, Cultured, Miami, February-March 2015, p. 162)
Subodh Gupta's iconic series on stainless steel utensils is a commentary on contemporary India. Stainless steel utensils are symbols of traditional Indian family life that transcend class, religion and ethnicity, being one of the first truly aspirational objects of modern India. "Hindu kitchens are as important as prayer rooms. These pots are like something sacred, part of important rituals." (Artist quote C. Mooney, 'Subodh Gupta: Idol Thief,' ArtReview, 17 December 2007, p. 57) The mesmerizing reflective quality of the utensils in this painting is a celebration of the prosperity they represent.
In conversation with Maxwell Williams, the artist further explains, “When he finally moved to Delhi, [Subodh] Gupta says he was utterly lost, unable to figure out how to become an artist. He could draw and paint, but he didn’t know how to stand out. […] Frustrated, broke and knowing he needed a change, Gupta was invited to do a residency in New Delhi. ‘When I got this residency’, I thought, ‘This is the time that I must do something that I want to do.’, he remembers. ‘It was the first time in my life that I looked at myself and asked, who am I? I remembered my childhood, and the stools I sat in for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I said, Oh wow, why not use that stool? I bought a stool from the market readymade and I painted everything I remembered from my childhood.’ Gupta’s ability to translate and elevate the ordinary only grew from there. He remains intrinsically tied to his rural past, and as an artist he can’t help but make what would be familiar and normal look beautiful and poignant.” (M. Williams, ‘Deep Roots, Cultured, Miami, February-March 2015, p. 162)