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One may be justified in asking who K K Raghava is given that the artist8217;s last solo was almost four years ago.

K K Raghava returns with art that upchucks the pretty for the ugly

One may be justified in asking who K K Raghava is given that the artist8217;s last solo was almost four years ago. Add to it the fact that at that time he painted with his hand and did playful work that ran the risk of being called gimmicky. The prodigal returns with a solo at Art Musings, titled Drawn and Quartered, an attempt to link the different styles that excite him.

From caricatures and a predominantly graphic style to a more painterly, photorealist approach this solo has four suites of work: Lady Lazarus, Arrival of the Swan, I Hate Fat Boys and his latest series Incoherent Scraps of Gluttony.

The titles itself indicate that Raghava has taken it upon himself to uncover the seamier side of life. The visuals confirm the pretty pictures of his youth. They have been exchanged for images that are more confrontational and disturbing. Bodies are punctured; flesh is ripped, bloated and distorted, all for the express purpose of revealing the darker underbelly.

8220;Life revealed to me that things were not perfect, there was much ugliness and harshness in this world and I have allowed it to permeate my canvas,8221; says the artist who began his career by teaching children to animate and cartoon.

Raghava has explored dark themes like paedophilia which are reflected in his Arrival of the Swan series. I Hate Fat Boys is dedicated to his own experiences of not conforming to the six-pack muscle-bound imagery that is prevalent for men in today8217;s milieu. 8220;I don8217;t conform myself and I understand that there would be anxiety among those who don8217;t conform either,8221; says the artist about the underdog or the 8216;fat boy8217; who is seen as less masculine. In this series, Raghava employs his sense of wit and renders caricatures that often border on self loathing. While the Lady Lazarus explores the artist8217;s curiosity over his own gender8212;he merges Greek myth with contemporary concerns and the resulting hybrid creatures that result are neither male nor female but a composition of gender.

The other series that may be difficult on viewers, especially if they happen to be women8212;is the Incoherent Scraps. Here gluttony has been interpreted in bloated female bodies, the result of binging on excesses8212;whether it8217;s food, love or life in general. It would however be unfitting to read these as misogynist since the artist8217;s empathy lies with the large ponderous women. The series also creates an interesting contrast with the near-perfect creatures one encounters in the Arrival of the Swan series. 8220;The subversion is intended and complete,8221; says the artist.

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The show is on from August 25 to November 5 at Art Musings, Admiralty Building, Colaba