Drawing Room: Why Viraj Khanna can’t look away from T Venkanna’s art
T Venkanna’s art isn’t easy to look at. That is exactly why you should see it. Sex, gore, beauty, life — he weaves it all in, with fire
When asked to describe his work, T Venkanna has said, “Beauty, sex, art… for me there is no separation in these three things.” His works often focus on acts of sex imbued with violence. There is tremendous beauty in the works too. It all forces the viewer to think of subjects that are usually swept under the carpet.
It’s a brave move. Venkanna turns conventional private moments into vivid public spectacles. In Super-size Me, a large male body replaces the tree trunk adorned with massive eggplants, which seems to shelter naked people. In Neither Here Nor There, multiple figures are engaged in libidinous acts in a forest. In Alligator Adventure, a woman seems to be mating with the reptile. Many of the works display a tussle between pleasure and pain, asserting that they go hand in hand, even if they make the viewer physically uncomfortable.
The work that has had a profound effect on me is Circus, made in 2022. The massive oil-on-canvas reimagines the idea of animals who are forced to do things they aren’t naturally supposed to do in artificial conditions. In his painting, he replaces the animals with human beings.
At first glance, Circus may seem like a mass of incoherent squiggles. Look closer and numerous interesting scenes emerge. The figures, starkly nude and muscular, are in contorted poses: Legs splayed, a body balancing atop the other, sexual positions that call for gymnastics. Delicate foliage forms the backdrop, creating a forest where creatures, both human and animal, roam free. Iridescent elements swirl through the scene to mimic the flashing lights of a circus performance.
The scene is visually discomforting. The work is even more striking because of the colour balance – there is thick application of paint as well as fine detailing. Certain sections depict dripping colour, a difficult feat considering the artist can’t control the outcome. The block colours and yellow spots draw the painting together, despite its numerous individual sections.
I appreciate it when a work challenges me to think beyond the usual and makes me uncomfortable. Venkanna has worked with painting, print-making, ink and watercolour, sculpture, hand embroidery and performance art. His works draw from post-Impressionism, Mughal miniatures, early Renaissance paintings and Indian mythology. The visuals stay in my mind long after I have seen the works. I believe his work is ahead of its time.
My own work, based on collages and strong visuals, attempts a similar effect. I admire his courage. It is not easy to make oneself vulnerable before an audience. Venkanna does it successfully and I strive to do so too.
Kolkata-based Viraj Khanna uses collages and mixed media to capture zeitgeisty moments inspired by social media trends. He is pursuing a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree at The Art Institute of Chicago.
From HT Brunch, March 08, 2025
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