Lot Essay
Subodh Gupta documents the daily life of the bazaars with his quasi-photo realistic rendition of a vessel stall, recasting an ensemble of traditional objects of Indian culture as signifiers of a new ethos of commerce and consumerism. Mesmerised by the sheen of these quotidian vessels in Gupta's painting, one cannot help but be reminded of the vanitas motifs executed by Northern European painters in Flanders and the Netherlands in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. The notions of 'emptiness' within the riches of vessels is an interesting point of departure for Gupta. His deceptively simple-looking works garbed in the high-gloss sheen of the familiar, homely stainless steel forms, are a commentary on contemporary India, transitions, and the inherent contradictions of globalisation.
The artist has been the subject of exhibitions in major shows around the world. In 2015, he had a solo show at Hauser and Wirth in New York.
The artist has been the subject of exhibitions in major shows around the world. In 2015, he had a solo show at Hauser and Wirth in New York.