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N. S. Harsha“Untitled” by N.S. Harsha (b. 1969) Contemporary Indian Ex-Christie
s Signed21st Century
21st Century
$3,500
£2,652.60
€3,042.30
CA$4,890.16
A$5,334.90
CHF 2,829.52
MX$64,273.57
NOK 35,912.17
SEK 32,878.56
DKK 22,721.46
About the Item
“Untitled” by N.S. Harsha (Indian, b. 1969)
This delicate watercolor by N.S. Harsha, one of the leading contemporary artists from India, is a masterclass in visual subtlety and conceptual provocation. The composition features two finely rendered male figures - one dressed in regal, mythic attire, the other in more contemporary, possibly bureaucratic clothing - reclining on plush bolsters amidst an ethereal sky filled with soft blue clouds. The drawing is rendered in Harsha’s characteristic linear style, where outlines are gentle, almost dreamlike, with a subdued palette. Vegetal tendrils unfurl from beneath the feet of the both figures, suggesting both rootedness and an organic entanglement with the earth or perhaps the subconscious.
Below the image, a handwritten line reads: “Harsha, you can keep the weeds at check, but you can never wipe them off.” This sentence serves as a powerful conceptual anchor, inviting interpretations that touch on history, politics, identity, and the persistence of cultural memory. The “weeds” may symbolize colonial residue, socio-political unrest, or internalized contradictions within Indian society - elements that Harsha’s practice frequently interrogates with wit and lyricism. The implication is that some forces cannot be entirely eradicated; they remain embedded, even as one attempts to regulate or suppress them.
Harsha’s watercolor cleverly fuses the visual languages of miniature painting and contemporary conceptual art. The flattened perspective, ornamental detail, and subdued line work pay homage to the visual tradition of Indian court paintings, while the positioning of the characters and their contrasting garments hint at a dialogue between India’s mythological past and its post-colonial present. The floating arrangement in a cloud-strewn sky only amplifies the ambiguity: are these figures divine, imaginary, political allegories, or all at once?
The work is watercolor and ink on paper and is signed/inscribed in the lower left. It is housed in a black frame behind glazing.
Size:
10 1/2 inches tall by 14 inches wide (sheet)
14 7/8 inches tall by 18 1/4 inches wide by 1 1/4 inches deep (frame)
Provenance:
Christie’s New York, 9/12/2012, lot 322;
Marc Richards Contemporary Art, CA
About the artist:
NS Harsha reworks the tradition of Indian miniature painting, depicting vast, flat fields of space populated by dozens of highly individuated, colorful figures. He has spoken of his art as "a way in which to portray large crowds or gatherings and their collective absurd acts." In addition to his visually rich acrylic paintings, Harsha works in sculpture, community-based collaborations, and site-specific installations that are often political. In Cosmic Orphans (2006), he painted a crowd of sleeping pilgrims, guards, workers, and children atop the roof of the Sri Krishna Temple in Singapore.
Condition: Very good overall condition. Some faint, minute marks to the surface from production. Frame with some light scratching. It is ready to be displayed and enjoyed!
- Creator:N. S. Harsha (1969, Indian)
- Creation Year:21st Century
- Dimensions:Height: 14.88 in (37.8 cm)Width: 18.25 in (46.36 cm)Depth: 1.25 in (3.18 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement Style:
- Period:
- Condition:Very good overall condition. Some faint, minute marks to the surface from production. Frame with some light scratching. It is ready to be displayed and enjoyed!
- Gallery Location:Yardley, PA
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2911217274562
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