Back in 2012, Keralam made waves across the world with a ‘mystery’. At the epicentre was an anonymous artist who converted Kochi’s public walls into a personal canvas.
The works attracted the attention of every passerby as the artist deftly wove Keralam’s pop culture references, blending them with global icons.
The street art brought the deeply rooted hypocrisy of Indian society front and centre, to somewhere no one could ignore or escape. Amid the busy streets, where everyone could see, the often monochrome works offered a stark reality check — sharp in humour as well as rebuke.
The Mona Lisa decked in gold jewellery like an Indian bride, a girl pasting Stick No Bills on a wall, Marx and Engels dressed as ascetics, Che Guevara as a head-load worker….
Even Vikraman and Muthu (comic characters from ‘Mayavi’) appeared as a criminal duo with guns — a la Vincent and Jules from ‘Pulp Fiction’.
Legendary actor Prem Nazir came decked out in a perfectly tailored suit, with a pistol and a halo of 007.
All the works were accompanied by the now-famous nom de plume — GuessWho. Many billed the artist as the ‘Indian Banksy’.
Now, recreations of select works by GuessWho, once visible only on public walls where time played both destroyer and keeper, have entered the gallery space.
In their first solo exhibition, GuessWho’s works are on display at Muziris Contemporary’s two galleries in Mumbai and Kochi.
Of the 25 works on display, 12 intriguing pieces are now within the walls of its Mattancherry gallery.
GuessWho speaks to TNIE on the condition of anonymity. “The works were made for people who never went to art galleries. And those who went to the galleries never took street art seriously earlier,” GuessWho says.
“This artform thrives on the streets. It’s raw, dynamic, approachable, interactive, imperfect and does not require a curatorial note to appeal to the viewer.”
Now, things are changing slowly. GuessWho feels the line between both kinds of viewers is blurring. The artist believes it is perhaps time to address both the audiences, “which can coexist and cross over”.
The gallery experience is novel to the artist.
“I approached it as an afterlife of the works that were being consumed on the streets. Hence, the show and conversations around it must be seen as an extension of the street practices and a celebration of those visual memories,” GuessWho says.
“Street art is all about reclaiming our public spaces, but that does not necessarily mean that it should remain on the streets forever.”
In a way, the artist is staking claim to institutional spaces that are otherwise alienated from the common people. “Hopefully this exhibition will help attract them to such venues as well,” says GuessWho.
Inside the gallery, the works speak for themselves. A point the artist has been reiterating over time: “It’s not the identity of the artist but the art that should be inferred.”
GuessWho sees art as a free, versatile medium of expression of creative thoughts. “I reflect on subjects that seem relevant to my beliefs. Of course, those beliefs have evolved over the years, and so has the art,” GuessWho says.
However, the street remains GuessWho’s favourite haunt. Perhaps that’s where the artist is most at home.
“I will get back to painting on the streets soon. There are no plans for any more exhibitions in the near future.”
GuessWho refuses to reveal any personal information. No clues even on hometown, background or ideology. The artworks alone shall speak for the artist’s soul.