The 'Venice Suite' series is essentially an expression of balance. It hovers in the tenuous space between the sensual and sexual and explores the equilibrium between reality and fantasy that exists in my artistic world.

I have always been fascinated by my ability to express what does not exist. As an artist, I have the privilege of depicting that which is authentic, which actually appears in the way I have shown it, alongside that which is imagined, created by my own mind. Both types of expression are equally strong in my work, and I enjoy the fact that they are able to coexist in harmony. In this series of work, I have attempted to play with this idea of reality vs. fantasy, using the symbolic language of two very different masks.

I chose to create this series using the imagery of the Venetian mask, as it is an object that evokes a multiplicity of emotions in me. It can haunt, inspire, and instill fear at the same time. I spent time in Venice in 2006, learning how to create this mask, and since then, have chosen to incorporate it into my artwork.

In order to give more depth to the idea of a fantasy world, I have chosen to use elements of story-boarding, bringing sketches, cartoons, and drawings into the scene. My fascination with the visual language of underground comics is also apparent in this series, in which there are several figures that seem to take on the personas of these comic heroes and heroines. Artistically, I have also attempted to push forward the limits of sensuality, using more daring imagery to evoke beauty and aesthetic pleasure.

RAGHAVA K.K.