Painting own perspectives

Through the works, that derive their inspirations from north Indian history, Dutt establishes an ensemble of images that one could read out as a contemporary artist’s walk through the alleys of history.

The works show how intense and relaxed his journeys are through these lanes of history. While looking at the works of the artist, a viewer is not burdened by the facts and figures, on the contrary he/she gets the feeling of getting submerged in time that moves from past to the present and from there to a quiescence. 

Dutt says that the idea behind his works comes all from a rupture in our history. His interest in Mughal Period and its opulence comes from his non-judgmental character. In his works, even when he uses the images of Mughal kings, their thrones, jewels, their harems, Dutt does not try to put something or someone in defense. Especially, when he paints and creates the assemblages through a variety of mediums, his idea is not to make it ‘politically correct’ so that he could always stand on the right side of history. He uses a variety of techniques and styles of representation in this present body of works. He uses comic book space divisions, juxtaposing various layers of images as seen in the contemporary advertisements, the image and literature sources made possible by internet search and above all, the physical evolution of Delhi as modern city, in order fuel the dynamics of his works.

He belongs to a contemporary world but he does not view history as an irreparable dent or a deep hurt. Dutt’s works speak of a museum of innocence, an innocence that had been challenged gravely at some point of time. He takes out events and turns them into vignettes, carefully encased only to be viewed in silence. They are not to be fought over or claimed, but are to be gazed. That’s how a flaneur turns his living city into a contemporary museum of his own reflected existence.