DRAWINGS
“In darkness I live, and perhaps thrive, because that is where I can shine and cause a difference – to be like an eraser over a bed of charcoal.”
There will always be idiots. History creates fools, and breeds phrases and sayings out of them. The ‘Idiots’ become ‘Idioms’. Idioms are a fine example of dysfunctional states. It is ironic in itself. But one is able to appreciate the humour set within. It makes people realise their situations in an objective manner. Humour allows oneself to trivialise their burdens. Abhishek Narayan Verma’s drawings show a satirical approach to illustrate the irrationality with which people face situations in their lives. Some of his drawings use autobiographical references.
This set of works is a response to the lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic. Mr. Blower and his balloons indicate the mental situation while living in a closed space for so long. The intense darkness refers to the stress and anxious situation within us due to not being able to meet closed ones and is also a struggle for self sustenance.
Childhood memories and moral stories create heroes of our lives. Growing up listening to the moral stories under the lantern and assuming them to be real was the bud for this series “Dysfucktional Family Reunion”.
Multiple Phases is a set of seven drawings with individual titles inspired by the popular French and American revolutionary posters where Abhishek Narayan Verma wanted to create situational poster-like qualities by incorporating and juxtaposing popular myths and facts.
Mapping the Spaces is like trying to adjust oneself into a given periphery and manipulate things accordingly by visually breaking the expectation between the action of the figure and its relationship with the space. It is a quest for self to fit in an unknown space.
