Indian Express

10 JANUARY 2016

It’s all in the eyes: Artist siblings ManilRohit have quite an ‘Appetite for Revolution’

Brothers-artists Manil and Rohit's works are currently on display at Art District III in Delhi.

Walking through Art District III in Delhi’s Lado Sarai, one can’t help but react to a striking sculpture of a face full of eyes. This explosion of eyes, per se, is a recurring motif at the ongoing solo art exhibition ‘Appetite for Revolution’ by brothers-artists Manil and Rohit Gupta.

The duo, having entered the Indian art scene around five years back, have already grabbed attention with their artworks, that are sardonic comments on Indian politics, cinema, gender inequality, mythology, female foeticide, gender inequality and intolerance, and a whole gamut of social issues.

As international artist Peter Nagy says, “This is the art of a new, cosmopolitan India, with a plethora of references both international and indigenous.” The 14 artworks and one central sculpture are replete with “symbolic references. The recurring eye motif refers to exploding numbers, perception, judgement, and the much talked-about intolerance. India, where numbers are an integral part of comparison, the eyes also refer to pressure and stress that affects the performance and existence in the contemporary world,” explains Manil Gupta.

The siblings have interpreted these varied ideas in a comic way with visually dense narratives and references. “Our body work has all the elements that comes from society with our perspective and that is the reason we draw references from public figures, books and incidents. For instance, the most controversial work of ours ‘The Chronicle of Sitaphal’ draws references of Hanuman from the Ramayana,” says Gupta.