Work in extremism is something more of a surrealist reflection of the real world around it but there is only one thing which an artist needs to understand is that they have to look both on the microscopic and macroscopic level at the same time to convey the extremism of the present world.
Vikash Kalra’s many works are reflecting extremism where both social and economic factors are playing important role in depicting the more serious issue that most artists of the 21st century are ignoring. When we talk about the depiction of extremism in art- it is really disturbing and disappointing but couldn’t be it a fake if we broom it under the rug.
Vikash doesn’t want to run away from reality that is why he is depicting the finest form of extremism in some of his arts. Any work which depicts the society at the lowest and highest level can see the similarity of the classes. It is not that they are similar in the action but yet they are extreme in their thoughts. This kind of understanding and thought can lead to generating extreme art.
Most of us are introduced to that picture where a boy Alan Kurdi drowned on the beach- wasn’t that harsh and extreme reality? Vikash’s heart gets saddened by these incidents. They are indeed saddening but that doesn’t mean that they should be ignored.
Confronting the truth
The dark truth should be presented in front of the populace and no matter how dark that truth is. There is no light in the sky of the art which is presented with the extremism nature of humans.
Painting something natural and presenting it to the wider audience is something that needs gut and a heart large enough to understand the presentation. We see the description of the harsh reality and incidents in all of our history books and even in our time but doesn’t it contradictory that we can describe them freely but we have to collect the courage to understand them.
This style of work is indeed new but not the subject. Even maestros have painted the harsh and harsher reality of humanity. It gives us an insight into the world, into humanity, and it should be not kept hidden. There is something exceptional about the works in extremism. It is a kind of emotional rollercoaster but this is what an artist has to do so that they can present a scene of human nature and character upfront.
Get a closer look at society
An artist is also a part of society and it is affecting them in the same way as it affects others. The most valuable thing which an artist can present in front of their audience is the image that can move society’s heart.
The concept of extreme art is much fruitful in Vikash’s paintings. It is creativity and passion which is showing his hard work on these concepts. Many conceptualize art but in reality, they lack the passion. You can add that zeal only after the desire to add that extreme characteristic to canvas. There is something more important than the facts. They give a closer look to the understanding of art by the artist. It gives us a perspective of the artist’s vision towards the pain of society and its people.
There is the inclination of the opinion and they tend to be inclined as well but the thing that the extremism is influence by the product of political dilemma or socio-economic condition, there is a lot of extremism examples in history and the art is not free of it.
Vikash Kalra is a self-taught artist and writer based in New Delhi whose work has been exhibited across India and is held in several private and corporate collections.