A huge 12-foot-long dog sculpture was towering over at the India Art Summit in Delhi and this was one art work that didn’t miss anyone’s eye. Ved Gupta, the creator of the work, has been working on a concept ‘Dog Democracy’ (infidelity in democracy) for the past three years.
The series of his satirical works comment on the Indian political system and had found its roots during Ved’s college years. Ved recalls, “During my college days in Bihar, we were forced to vote for a specific person of the university by the local goons. And we had to give in.”
He adds, “But when I came to study in Baroda, the situation was different. You didn’t have to vote if you didn’t want. But there was a dilemma: Should you waste your right to vote? Eventually I did get into researching all the candidates thoroughly and did vote for a candidate who I thought deserved the seat more than others.”
These ideas and many other political thoughts find their way into Ved’s works. The huge dog at the summit was based on a thought that “democracy isn’t going to the dogs. But dogs are learning the lessons of democracy,” he clarifies.
“After a discussion with many experts I thought that the above view holds true. The politicians have learnt the game of democracy and they manipulate people on their terms regarding caste, creed and religion,” asserts Ved. “Through the huge dog this is the thought that I have tried to portray,” he ends.
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