DIGITAL COPY ON MAGZTERworks that surprised me is a painting that he did in the
seventies, appropriating photographic references even
decades before it became a trend.’ Santosh himself is a
great exponent of photonegative images, a style that has
become his trademark. He is in awe of Ramachandran’s
ability to transform an insignificant character from the
Mahabharata into a metaphor addressing human greed,
indulgence and vulnerability and his understanding of
developing a linguistic system that merges the content/
form duality is admirable. ‘His politically charged
early works reflected social unrest and urban angst in
the mode of a modernist, expressionist style, possibly
inspired by prevailing socio-cultural conditions in
Kerala.’ Speaking from New York, Ramachandran,
however, did not wish to step out of his modernist
moorings. ‘I have not followed the post-modernist. I
have looked closely at Santosh’s work with interest but I
am just not able to relate to post-modernist works.’
Untitled, T.V. Santosh, Oil on Canvas,
48'' x 72'', 2014.
Image Courtesy of The Guild Art
Gallery and the ArtistIAF - Delhi Connecting Art/ FEB 2016 - MAR 2016 / ARTS ILLUSTRATED /^53