RAMESHWAR BROOTA | Helmet

Saffronart, 4-6 May 2004, lot 94

Two spots of pigment inconsistencies on the lower left edge appear inherent. This work is in overall very good condition, as viewed. It is brighter in reality.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

“Broota’s art relies on a stark simplicity, brevity of statement, and impeccable grasp of detail; and it is these elements, rather than any overarching ideology or aesthetic doctrine, that make it as powerful as it is.” (A. Jhaveri, ‘Rameshwar Broota,’ A Guide to 101 Modern & Contemporary Indian Artists, Mumbai, 2005, p. 23) Rameshwar Broota graduated in Fine Arts from the Delhi College of Art in 1963. He has been Head of Department at Triveni Kala Sangam, New Delhi since 1967. Broota’s early work was characterised by imagery that focused on the corrupt political landscape of 1970s Delhi using satirical, zoomorphised figures. It was during the 1980s that the artist shifted his focus to the more universal subjects of male identity and the human condition.

Helmet (2000) is from Broota’s ‘Unknown Soldier’ series, a subject that first appeared in the artist’s work in the late 1990s. The image of a man emerges from obscurity into a scene dappled with spots of pigmentation, while the details of the eponymous helmet are given startling primacy in the foreground. With its high shine effect and careful delineation, the helmet is posited as a defining feature, particularly in view of its level of detail when compared to its wearer. The near monochromatic palette of the work and its borderline abstraction removes questions of race, place and time. As the helmet is transformed into a symbol for the military function of man, erasure and slippage of individual identity follows.

Broota’s concern with man’s struggle towards individuation is palpable throughout his body of work, and is also reflected in his technique. After layering the canvas with shades of black, grey, brown and ochre, Broota uses a broken razor blade to excavate his images from the surface, as though these are universal truths, hidden in the blackened picture plane. The process of scraping away these dried layers of paint allows the artist to achieve varying degrees of tonality, while the action itself implies a physical breakdown of the superficial: a message which is manifestly related to Broota’s choice of subject.