Hold On


Josh Smith, Mansoor Ali, Marek Ranis, Satellite Bureau, Stuart Keeler

June 1 to July 3, 2011

Preview: June 1, 2011

Location: Gallery Maskara

l r 6 of 7 works

Beautifully Corrupt, 2010

Digital C-Print

43 x 24 inches


The many scandals and issues that rocked the Indian nation during the mid 90s to early 2004 inspire this work. These issues are still present today and have corrupted and amplified with the passing of time. It is interesting to note the differences in perspective of the common man/subject and the other political parties in opposition. In spite being the first part takers in the democratic nation, the people don\'t have a say and become mere onlookers while the filthy goons (politicians) make away with the prize. One hardly ever escapes the encounter with corruption: My nation is \"beautifully corrupt\". The reason to oblige each one sitting/occupying the chairs in the system has a share and therefore any beneficiary coming down to the common man from the government or say the vice versa where the work to be done has to pass through these chairs for \"evaluation\" and \"sanctioning\" (what is normally called \"the play under the desk/table\" in common terms, leads to corruption increasing in the monetary terms. At times it leaves many broken and disheartened and leads to more poverty or suicidal cases. Moreover this work is inspired by the way the termites live and work. Termites eat things up from the inside by building false walls. These shy and tiny creatures can\'t withstand the sun and do not live where they sense a lot of movement.