Lot 124: Justin Ponmany (b. 1974)

Justin Ponmany (b. 1974)
Trojan
signed, titled and dated 'Justin Ponmany 2004 JUSTIN PONMANY 2004 "Trojan" (on the reverse of each canvas)
acrylic and hologram on canvas; diptych
40 x 104¼ in. (101.5 x 264.5 cm.)
Painted in 2004 (2)

New Delhi, The Palette Art Gallery, The Bombay Boys, December 2004 - January 2005

... Oh then our maze of tunneled stone, grew thin and treacherous as air.
The cause was lost without a groan, the famous citadel overthrown,
and all its secret galleries bare... (The Castle by Edwin Muir)

Equestrian statue, a monument raised to commemorate military leaders and politicians, is a larger-than-life symbol of some heroic deed; while the Trojan horse speaks of deceit and terror. The artist is intrigued by the polemic life of these monuments - the act of installing and dismantling them based on the popularity of the leader. An impregnable castle, a symbol of power and security both permanent and ephemeral. In Trojan the artist explores this vulnerability of power.