“Here, I can completely lose myself,” says Manjunath Kamath about his New Delhi studio, “but it’s also an extension of who I am.” Filled corner to corner with terracotta toys, god and goddess figurines, books, postcards, antiques and folk art from his travels across India and the world, the space exudes warmth and a sense of history.
“History is only available in half,” says the artist for whom history is always in the process of being made. From a “hand here, a foot there” in his sculptures to paintings with corners peeling off and digital works that simultaneously reference ancient Indian epics, folktales, popular culture and modern-day advertising, Kamath creates a world that is complete with fragments, inviting viewers to fill in the gaps with their imagination.
In this BMW Artist Film, Manjunath Kamath tells us about his fascination with history, and why he sees it as a work of fiction.
Manjunath Kamath was born in Mangalore, Karnataka and lives and works in Delhi. He is represented by Gallery Espace and Sakshi Gallery, and will be shown at India Art Fair 2022.