W.T.F

"WTF" by Ketna Patel is a sprawling masterpiece that confronts the viewer with the bewildering complexities of our modern existence. Patel, a British Indian Pop Artist, employs an existentialist lens to craft a montage that captures the essence of our age.

At the heart of the composition is a reimagined world where iconic artworks like Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" and cultural touchstones like "The Wizard of Oz" undergo a radical transformation, infused with contemporary metaphors. The familiar figures of Dorothy and the Wizard intertwine with the surreal and the political, blurring the lines between fantasy and reality.

On the left side of the canvas, Hokusai's "The Great Wave" looms ominously, symbolizing the imminent threat of change and transformation that engulfs our current reality. Amidst this chaos, a cast of political protagonists including Joe Biden, Macron, Trudeau, Karl Marx, Abraham Lincoln, Rishi Sunak, Boris Johnson, Putin, Trump, Hillary Clinton, and Barack Obama populate the scene, reflecting the diverse spectrum of power and influence in our world.

The thematic threads of "The Wizard of Oz" and "Alice in Wonderland" weave through the surreal panorama, with Dorothy represented by Angelina Jolie, navigating the yellow brick road in red stilettos towards a jade city dominated by towering skyscrapers. Here, the new emperors of the day—banks, corporations, and pharmaceutical companies—hold sway, manipulating reality akin to the film "The Truman Show."

Amidst this dystopian landscape, dissenters like Julian Assange and Edward Snowden are depicted as imprisoned or exiled, highlighting the chilling reality of authoritarian rule and constant surveillance. References to aliens, spaceships, polluting oil refineries, greed, and political puppetry further underscore the chaotic and surreal nature of our world.

In "WTF," Ketna Patel invites viewers to confront the uncomfortable truths of our age—a world hurtling forward like a runaway train, with its drivers seemingly asleep at the wheel. Through her masterful blend of symbolism, satire, and social commentary, Patel challenges us to question the reality we inhabit and the forces that shape it.