As one enters Latitude 28’s first art show of this year, ‘Ulatbansi,’ by Pune-based artist Yogesh Ramkrishna, the air is heavy with drama and cryptic messaging. A barricade is stationed near the doorway painted with the words ‘Umeed pe duniya kayam hai (the world rests on hope)’. But in the next sentence, it subverts the idea of hope by saying ‘Kayamta ek bhram hai (the maintenance of hope and order is an illusion). Move ahead and the walls are hanging with gouache paintings portraying TV, social media tools, microphones, and loudspeakers. They’re either shown blowing out fire or adding to the noise in an attempt to fabricate reality.
With each artwork, Ramkrishna explores today’s age of simulated reality that blurs the distinction between truth and its many altered versions. Curator Satyajit Dave notes that Ramkrishna’s works draws from Hyperrealism, a concept developed by French philosopher Jean Baudrillard in his analysis of postmodern society. He says, “Baudrillard's theory suggests that in the contemporary world, the distinction between reality and simulated copies often blurs, leading to a societal condition where simulations of reality — whether through media, virtual environments, or social personas — are perceived as more real than reality itself. Ramkrishna’s artistic endeavours probe these altered realities and their effects on socio-political structures, amplifying religious insecurities, and manipulating personal and collective identities.”
Ramkrishna is also a painter who reads and writes poetry. He uses Kabir’s Sandhya Bhasha (twilight language) — often known as upside-down language due to its use of paradoxical and coded meanings — to create a sense of intrigue.. “Kabir developed a unique way of writing where each sentence of his poem has one literal meaning and one meaning that is hidden. I was interested in the fact that it redefined the older words. Today, a ‘bhakt’ is no more just a devotee. It has a political meaning,” says Ramkrishna.
Power and satire
The artist’s works question the “hollow promises” of power structures and “performative” aspects of new media, that are overshadowing objectivity. In the series ‘Dreams For The Blind Eyes’ a painting shows a family in a drawing room with a TV showcasing scenes of violence being imbibed by the family’s kids. Another one shows a machine taking potatoes as input and giving gold as output in a marketplace. “It alludes to politician Rahul Gandhi’s ‘potato to gold formula’ speech, which led to Gandhi being trolled online. The work emphasises doing your own research,” he tells TMS.
While Ramkrishna spotlights the menace of curated lives, fake news, and cultural propaganda — he uses humour and satire like “sugar” for bitter pills. His sharp understanding of satire comes from his early exposure to Marathi theatre which he performed during school and college days in Pune. At that time, theatre was a form of enjoyment. He would create colourful props, paint the stage set-up, and arrange costumes. “Later, when I grew up, I realised that Marathi theatre brings the story of suppressed subjects with satire. For instance, Satish Alekar’s play Mahanirvan blends realism and absurdity. It shows a dead man being part of his own post-death rites which exposes the hypocrisy of society.”
In the series ‘Carriers’, he blends art with theatrics by excessively using props. On the canvas is a man-elephant hybrid carrying whimsical objects like a flag, loudspeaker, weapons of mass destruction, and a hand with religious symbols amongst others. “The work spotlights how Maharashtrians carry their faith above their heads, like the tulsi plant or Ganesha idols. It illustrates how, today, people place similar faith in power structures and are exploited,” he says.
Props, theatrics, messaging
In another series, ‘One Man Protest Is A Protest Of All’ satire becomes personal. A canvas shows a man wearing a carnivalesque headgear, shielding himself with an umbrella and showing his voting finger as a weapon to hold power structures accountable for their actions. “I was searching about the different ways to protest that are happening all around the world. I came across the 2014 Hong Kong protests that used umbrellas. Inspired by it, I create my own way of protesting and safeguarding my personal space from intrusion by powerful forces.” In another work from the same series, a man morphs into a barricade to protect his household space. “Nobody dares to dash a barricade as it is not meant to be touched, moved or crossed. My idea is to apply that same psychological power towards someone who wants to intervene in my space,” he says.
As each artwork challenges us to think, Bhavna Kakar, founder-director of Latitude 28, says that the exhibition’s theme is about questioning our place in the world, enabling us to “reimagine the truths we hold most dear.”