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1, 2, 3…Happy Galaxy
Gitanjali Dang features the limited edition painting book by Sanjeev Khandekar. In this book the artist depicts the problems of corporate spiritualism and neo-fascism.
"1,2,3,...Happy Galaxy" is a limited edition picture book by the artist Sanjeev Khandekar. It is being published by Abhidhanantar, an avant garde Marathi publication devoted for the new writings in Marathi. "1,2,3... Happy Galaxy" is their first book, which contains only paintings, a new form of poem. The book will be a limited edition of 250 copies and the sole selling agent for this book is 'Ashish Balram Nagpal Galleries', Mumbai. The book is priced at Rs.5000/ ($120), and has 50 colour plates.
There has been tremendous response for this book, when original was released as a part of Sanjeev’s joint show with Vaishali Narkar, titled as 'tits,clits n elephant dick', which was stopped by Mumbai Police, in August 2006. It is learnt that almost 150 copies of the book have been reserved in advance before the publication itself.
The book contains portraits of various spiritual men and self proclaimed spiritual leaders in water colours. Is the new form of spiritualism hand in hand with corporatisation of our times, poses a threat of fascism? This is the question that the book makes viewer to ponder over.
“The body contortionist brigade has arrived and they have invaded television channels around you. They’re pulling up their spiritual socks and readying themselves for a round of huffing and puffing. Beware they’ll blow your pliant senses away.
Artist Sanjeev Khandekar’s 1,2,3...Happy Galaxy, is not a cautionary note, far from it. He is not trying to galvanise the viewer/believer/devotee. This is no far-left propaganda. Instead with his loquacious pictorial narratives, the artist and poet is setting the stage for launching a few witty attacks on this emergent cult of densely and solemnly bearded ‘men of God’. The book deftly oscillates between irreverence and incredulity. A potent concoction, it is spiked with equal measures of blasphemy and naïveté.
1,2,3,...Happy Galaxy, emerged from Sanjeev Khandekar and Vaishali Narkar’s exhibition Tits n Clits n Elephant Dick (Part I). And though this book matches the probing tenor of the exhibition, it does itself proud even as a standalone entity. No loose cannon this, just well directioned mordant criticism.
In our politically correct epoch, where everyone wants to be spiritually inclined just so they can be on right side of the fence, a glut of ostensibly well-meaning gurus are milking the populace dry of all rationality.
3,2, 1…the countdown has begun. Get your senses on.”
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