Kotturu’s practice is a
process of introspection and contemplation that offers him a space to reconcile
with his experiences of loss, grief and struggle. He gazes at life through the
prism of human nature and lived experience, and represents through his work,
the power structures, dependence and conflict within relationships, as well as
the anguish they may cause an individual.
Kotturu articulates these
poignant themes through a range of tropes. Employing quotidian objects and
motifs from the animal world, he plays on their inherent meanings and
manipulates their medium, to interpret the politics of relationships. The
elephant, for example, symbolizes strength combined with benevolence while a
crocodile depicts the barbaric tendencies of people and society. Kotturu also,
at times alters the scale of his subjects, and at other times subjects them to
unexpected juxtapositions. Through such use of irony and wry humor, he attempts
to expand their conceptual potential and open them up to wider readings.
Abounding in commonplace
references, Kotturu’s charged works have a sense of immediacy and resonance.
They are evocative of both individual and collective anxieties, and in their
own ingenious way, raise questions about the dynamic of human relationships,
while also commenting on the power structures intrinsic within them.
