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A bound lion strung upside down as a
tortoise makes its way across the floor
beneath, makes for a surreal scene. Upon
closer inspection, the seemingly realistic
rendition belies the unnerving realisation
that the lion’s limbs, torso and the
expression on his face are modelled on
a human. There is the suggestion of the
materials of sado‒masochism in the black
ribbons that tie the lion’s paws. Shibu
Natesan’s work creates tension through
the juxtaposition of unlikely images
rendered in a photo‒realistic style. They are
“evocative through an unexpected elision
of symbols. In this way, he challenges the
comfort of recognition. Given his painterly
facility, Natesan...brings in taut metaphors
of physical domination and power
structures in a world of moral contestation.”
(Gayatri Sinha, “Talks, Works and Realism”,
The Hindu
, 4 February 2005) Natesan’s
large format canvases are composed of
disassociated subjects, diverse settings,
and symbols ranging from wild animals to
Caribbean reggae artists. Titled
Approach
,
the present lot offers another multi‒layered
construct where the tortoise literally
“approaches” the lion, but there is also the
question of what references a viewer might
invoke as they approach this painting.
Shibu Natesan
© Manisha Gera Baswani
PROPERTY FROM AN IMPORTANT
PRIVATE COLLECTION, SINGAPORE
67
SHIBU NATESAN
(b. 1966)
Approach
Signed and dated 'Shibu Natesan 05'; signed in
Malayalam and inscribed '"APPROACH"' (on the reverse)
2005
Oil on linen
37.5 x 39.25 in (95.5 x 100 cm)
$ 12,000 ‒ 18,000
Rs 7,68,000 ‒ 11,52,000
PROVENANCE:
Saffronart, 11‒12 March 2009, lot 9
EXHIBITED:
Paths of Progression: An Exhibition of Paintings by 12
Contemporary Artists
, New Delhi: Bodhi Art, 21 August ‒ 15
September 2005; Mumbai: Saffronart, 26 August ‒ 5 September
2005; New York: Saffronart, 21 September ‒ 5 October 2005;
Singapore: Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI), 22 October ‒
5 November 2005
PUBLISHED:
Peter Nagy,
Paths of Progression: An Exhibition of Paintings by
12 Contemporary Artists
, Mumbai: Saffronart, 2005 (illustrated,
unpaginated)
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