Nothing will ever justify what Mumbai has been through recently. Why did we, as a city and a nation, have to pay such a heavy price? What was the demand? Just to shake us as a thriving city? A thriving nation? Or just create a fear, a terror in our lives? If you look back through history all civilisations have been forged through violence and warfare. Those who think themselves superior attempt to bully and terrorise those they can. It is their insecurities that compel them to do so. In today’s times it is only the unintelligent men who do this.

My work is a lot to do with the metamorphoses of man. I use the animal as a tool to express human emotions. In my painting here titled Warriors 2001, you see two dueling monkeys. This work is not about violence. I have deliberately used the sport (dueling) to suggest man’s inherent urge to show off his strength, his prowess and his might. This was a sport right up to the early 19th century. There were causalities here too. Any act of violence will always result in human damage, of the body and the mind. See what the recent terror act has done to this city’s psyche. My only hope is that this will be an eye-opener against our complacency, the raging corruption in our political system, a nudge to our youth to be more involved in their future and a shot in the arm for the very deprived forces.

Express yourself: leave a comment on the article telling us what you think.
Write to us at edit@verveonline.com

Join us at our Facebook group

Subscribe to Verve Magazine or buy the Verve issue on stands now!