Parthan develops on the theme of a modern idea in his artworks. He engages with two categories of reality overlapping each other- 'virtual' and 'real'. The virtual, as the artist puts it, "is a prosthetic extension of us."
It is true that the realm of the virtual has changed the way we perceive reality. The intriguing information age has rendered the material world intangible. Parthan’s practice essentially revolves around the omnipresent theme of intersection between the areas of the material world, as well as the non-material digital / virtual sphere.
In his artwork titled "Futuristic Geeky Teddy", Parthan uses the soft toy as a metaphor to reflect the technological changes happening around us as well as suggest the fact that this revolution is just at its nascent stage. The teddy bear which normally exudes a cute, charming simplicity is equipped with computer codes giving us a glimpse of the future.
Baiju Parthan, Futuristic Geeky Teddy, 2014, painted fiber glass, 25 x 17 x 13”
Baiju Parthan, Lunch Break (memorial) I, 2010, archival print on hahnemuhle fine art paper, 23 x 66”
‘Alchemy’ is the science of changing an ordinary metal into gold. Parthan’s work ‘Base Metal’ is suggestive of the same transformation process, but in this case it is about personal transformation. Through this reference, Parthan explores the workings of the mysterious inner being constantly being affected by the outer realms such as the social system and environment, culture and mores, as well as different world views.
Baiju Parthan, Eternal Sunshine of the Rabbit Hole Mind, 2004, acrylic on canvas
Parthan's artwork is a confluence of different elements such as math, science, and culture. Trained in diverse streams like botany, painting, illustration, engineering, computer science, and even comparative mythology, Baiju Parthan's awe-inspiring artistic scope inhabits multi-faceted realms. He has deftly created a unique vocabulary based on the complex usage of symbols and archaic imagery. Not only that, he became familiar with the movements of Impressionism, Expressionism, and so forth, and this new knowledge nourished his interest in painting. Parthan's artworks derive their inspiration from philosophers such as Sartre, and artists like Joan Miro, Larry Rivers and various Cubists.
"Engineered Fruit Cosmogram" is among the prominent works from the Cosmogram series. This particular work is a surreal combination of engineering, geometrical figures, athletes, fishes and cupids.
Baiju Parthan, Engineered Fruit Cosmogram, 2007, digital print, on backlit polyester film paper, 35.43 x 35.43”
We, as humans, derive a lot of models from nature to design and create technology. The process is not easy as nature is put under surveillance. Parthan uses the ‘fly’ and ‘helicopter’ to make his audience understand the process of instrumentalization, which means the treatment of an idea as an instrument that functions as a guide to action The fly is scrutinized and measured under a cosmological grid. The design of the fly and its uses are then appropriated in order to create a war machine in the form of a helicopter to serve the humans. So, Parthan through the study of the fly’s body hints at the process of metamorphosis, from a harmless creature to a destructive object. Also, it draws parallels between science and violence, suggesting a co-dependence of generative and destructive forces.
Baiju Parthan, Ointment (UnguentumKosmographia), 2010, acrylic on canvas, 60 x 40"
Nature is after all used both for consumption and exploitation by human-beings. So on the one hand, we learn of a science that can create, generate and regenerate; and, on the other hand, science also brings about the aspect of violence where the primary focus is destruction.
Baiju Parthan, Ointment II, 2010, acrylic on canvas, 21 x 33"
