This diptych of roots against a backdrop of books almost seems to compel the viewer to establish the link between them. The labyrinth of root projections resembles the maze like structure of the brain where thousands of impulses are constantly shooting back and forth. Interestingly it is the labyrinth of the human brain which is the instrument that turns experience into books as well as books into experience. There is also the link of the material where trees are the source of the paper of the books. The history of the relationship between the roots and the books goes far beyond the history of the history of the creation of these books where their word content is concerned. They seem to meet again in this picture not for a functional purpose but rather as friends. The silent dialogue between them is not one of strangers but one of estranged friends.

Over the neat beds lie the remains of something that was once alive. Suspended from a bamboo stick lie the bones, particularly the head of creatures that were once moving and breathing as if the artist wants to emphasize something of the past in as loud a manner possible. There is something about the past lingering in our present like a ghost that is invisible but strongly experienced. It is usually in the quietness of the bedroom that the ghost of the past comes to touch the senses of the living. If one’s present condition is secure and strong, the remains of the past will either have to surrender to the present or disappear into oblivion which is just another form of surrender. Something very encouraging about these skeletons of the past is that they are bound yet they boldly threaten one like as if they have some legal or birthright in this bedroom. The serenity of the bedroom is so empowering that the hanging skulls seem to be finding themselves out of place. Perhaps they presumed that they could create a presence here but instead they experience a sort of intimidation that was not planned but has turned out to be so due to the difference in stature of the bones and the bedroom. Perhaps the gap between the beds is due to these remains of the past that are lingering even after the passage of time.

The most outstanding and intriguing feature of Madhu’s work is the depiction of a contemporary image in a conventional medium. Instead of keeping his artwork as an installation, he seems to take the image of an installation and turn it into a painting in such a meticulous manner almost like he is trying to drive a point in. He seems to take the present (installation) into the past (pigment on paper), considering new media to be more contemporary that painting, thus projecting a very new idea in an old window that belongs to a different position in the timeline. The dry leaves support this idea as something of the past coming into the present in that it has been created with paint only a few days ago. Madhu is playing with the whole human concept of time to dismantle it and bring in some new perspectives on the idea of time itself. He brings the past and the present together in a methodical manner with such ease of flow that one needs to be very careful in concluding that he has just fabricated something. One must see deeper to know that he is actually throwing light on something that already exists but needed to be unveiled in the way he is doing it here. The human concept of time is a superficial one that is followed for the sake of convenience. But Madhu with his shuffling of the then and now seems to be poking this thing called contemporary art to reconsider its name. He defies contemporary art while parading in the sphere of it fooling those who do not care to look beyond his surface. Thus contemporary art has embraced its rebel in its disinterest to discern those it calls its own. Fortunately here the rebel is closer to the truth than the community he is in. He has the potential to win the community not just because he is true but due the way he carries himself in their midst.

Trumpets and Seeds?

Madhu’s creations throw light on the relationship /link/interdependence between the natural and the fabricated (from the natural). Normally what do trumpets have to do with germinating seeds? But Madhu’s painting challenges one to dig enough to see their co-relation. As they hover over these sprouting plants they seem to inspire life and energy into them to follow the upward direction of the trumpets themselves. Correspondingly the growing plants seem to support the trumpets (visually and in essence) through their co- operation. In a very subtle way the growing shoots seem to be upholding the trumpets. It is something not seen but sensed. The way the trumpets are positioned breaks the monotony of the linear walls in a very assertive way yet they are not there of themselves but have been placed there by another. They assert themselves not in an imposing way but rather in an obliging way. The dialogue between the sprouts and the trumpets is peaceful but not intimate. It is obvious that as they grow there is going to be intimacy. There is a strong likelihood that the mature plants will interfere with the position and function of the trumpets unless there is mutual respect and compromise. Here Madhu brings out the point that with growth there must be increasing mutual understanding, respect and compromise for the growth to be sustained.

Neha Jiandani
18/10/10