Vitamin Be or Not to Be

His is a heart many Indians would find plenty in common with (one finding stress relief in a pet dog,or attraction in a pretty white girl). The series taps into the Indian psyche and displays multiple meanings; it is more than just a series of arresting pictures.

For instance,the bright red background and black telephone arrestingly titled,Above the Numbers,one of his acrylic-on-canvas pieces,holds an onlooker’s attention. Although the phone’s ability to break down the barriers of dialogue through instant communication was something we Indians yearned for,for many decades,it also ruined some of the magic of pre-telephone interaction. “We forget relationships mean more than the numbers themselves,” says Sharma.

He believes that appreciating this message is more relevant in the internet age,which has only proliferated instant communication. This is shown in Thadi dot com,another work. Its subject is a metal kettle with two cups of milky chai,around which a gang of friends chat. Clearly,nothing can substitute the closeness of friends at the local chai-wallah. “I try to provide vitamins for the soul,” says Sharma.

The exhibition is on at Alliance Francaise till today. Contact: 43500200