As an artist Rahul Krishnan subscribes to a philosophy of 'question everything', which makes the view through his eyes unconventional. His style is immediately distinctive and his approach hard to ignore; while his work is seductively pleasing to the eye on one level, beneath he is constantly challenging the viewer to reframe preconceptions, dissect conventions and fundamentally challenge the status quo.
As the show's title, E&OE suggests, the narrative of a world full of disclaimers, half- truths and 'small print' used for political, social or economic gain runs through Krishnan's work. While this phenomenon is thematically universal, Rahul has focused on his home country of India as fertile ground for content and inspiration, particularly apparent in the use of local idiom (Malayalam) in his work. His style of social commentary is less obviously confrontational and more intelligently philosophical and cryptic. His ability to tackle potentially provocative political, religious or cultural viewpoints through the use of historical, iconic figures as metaphors, colloquial catch phrases, popular culture references, touches of technology and of course humor, allows for more sophistication and less sensationalism in the show.
The body of work that makes up E&OE, boldly occupies an intriguing intersection where mainstream media communications and contemporary art fuse. A place where juxtaposition, technical skill and irreverence help create a social commentary platform that is both aesthetically powerful and symbolically astute while retaining a richly rhetorical position. Laden with irony, exaggeration and wit, the often multi-layered artworks challenge us to decode them to make sense of the artist's often pointed message.
Krishnan employs a variety of art techniques and materials to create his pieces, preferring to find the most intriguing combination rather than take a 'one style one route' approach. All of which give this exhibition vibrancy, depth and a real sense of discovery.
Image: © Rahul Krishnan, Mojo Gallery
