BRITINDIA

Being a British Indian, I am a hybrid of two powerful identities; two immensely proud cultures. I am part of a large community that lives within this rich, complex self image.

In the Jubilee year 0f 2022, this artwork was exhibited at the Headstone Manor Museum in London. Housed in an ancient room, the presence of this Artwork powerfully contrasted the ages the room had seen compared to the multicultural Britain of today.  This was very apparent when most of the visitors to the museum hailed from the same diaspora as me....East African Indians!  The artwork speaks of exactly that -  the veiled histories, colonization & immigration that lie embedded in the Queen's seventy years of reign.

This composition speaks of layered timelines; there is no background or foreground. The sacred eye of the cow is also the eye of the Queen, who was United Kingdom's sovereign head of state. Her third eye is represented by the eye of time - the Big Ben clock on the Houses of Parliament. Mohandas Gandhi is represented by a postage stamp; symbolic of the important role he played in India's independence. The Pound Sterling currency note denotes wealth (afterall, the first Bank was in London, on the embankment of river Thames). British ships signal maritime prowess and colonialism that lay behind the British East India company and their successive trading routes out of India. The seated children are our future. This artwork is really a flattened moment; a 'leela' of the compression of many ages. It is up to us to interpret the various layers and what they mean to each one of us.

Each Fine Art Print is titled, numbered and signed in Ketna’s handwriting.

Depending on each composition’s ‘personality’, colour spectrum and destined geographical location, the Artwork is printed either as a C-Type print on Fuji gloss paper or as a Giclee print on Hahnemuhle Photo Rag paper. (For humid countries e.g Singapore, C-type Fuji paper is advised as it is does not let moisture and mould through)

All Prints are made at the most accredited and reputable Printing studios in London, Singapore or New Delhi, using the best quality fine art archival paper available.

The studio meticulously keeps account of each numbered print, including when and who it was sold to, so there is no chance of duplication.

Each Fine Art Paper Print comes in an edition of 50, so for the three sizes, the total prints ever made will be 150.

Each Metal Print comes in an edition of 25, so for the three sizes, the total prints ever made will be 75.  

Each Acrylic Print comes in an edition of 10, so for the three sizes, the total prints ever made will be 30.

For each composition, there are up to 5 Artists Proofs for colour and production quality checks. The total edition for each artwork is therefore 260.

Each Print is made to order. Please allow 10 working days for delivery.