TITLE - Fire fallen on the ground without any grass is extinguished by itself
MEDIUM - Gouache and pastel pencil on paper
SIZE - 44.9 cm x54.7 cm
YEAR - 2022
IMAGE COURTESY TO KETAKI SARPOTDAR
FIRE FALLEN ON THE GROUND WITHOUT ANY GRASS IS EXTINGUISHED BY ITSELF…
Today, we have become accustomed to consuming information without questioning its validity and agreeing without fully understanding it. This tendency makes it easy to manage and deceive people. Such psychological manipulation is often exploited in politics. When those in power feel they are losing control of a situation, they resort to manipulation, creating sensational news to distract the public from current realities or pressing issues. By continuously broadcasting these fabricated incidents on television and social media, unfavourable situations can be turned to their advantage, steering public interest away from the truth.
An analogy can be drawn with cuckoo birds, which do not build their own nests. Instead, the female cuckoo lays her eggs in the nests of smaller birds. When circumstances become unfavourable, the male and female cuckoos mimic the sound of a hawk to frighten the smaller birds. Taking advantage of the other birds' fear of a hawk, the cuckoo often succeeds in achieving its goal. I used this metaphor in my painting to illustrate the manipulative nature of the main characters.
This painting is a fictional representation of real incidents that occurred during the pandemic but the visual reference is based on the newspaper photograph of the house where the real incidents had occurred. On one hand, there was a significant lack of awareness in society regarding how to address this unprecedented challenge effectively. The insufficient medical facilities and the fatal nature of this biological crisis led to the loss of many lives. On the other hand, rather than focusing on these critical issues, digital media platforms, social media, and podcasters were preoccupied with the unauthorised demolition of a Bollywood actress's house.
Although such stories garnered attention through interviews, involvement from political leaders, and celebrity opinions, they ultimately diverted public focus away from more pressing matters, such as important health updates and safety awareness during the pandemic. This painting highlights the nature of public interest in the digital age, where the pursuit of what goes viral often overshadows the importance of truth.