Ranbir Kaleka Indian, b. 1953
Guardians in a Dystopic Garden, 2024
Hand embroidery on cotton poplin fabric
88.9 x 139.7 cm
Each edition is an exact recreation in couture embroidery of the original artwork by the artist.
Milaaya Art
Further images
Guardians in a Dystopic Garden juxtaposes the remnants of a library, a symbol of knowledge, with an Arcadian garden disrupted by human conquest. This intricate masterpiece, featuring animals amidst the shadows of man’s invasion—represented by an assault rifle, army helmet, and scattered bullets—was meticulously crafted using various cotton and silk threads, metallic bullion, and 3D elements over 150 days.
Guardians in a Dystopic Garden is set among remnant bookshelves of a library, a storehouse of knowledge, in which Ranbir Kaleka’s multi-layered dreamscape unfolds. The work confronts the glamour and divine order of an Arcadian garden with human conquest and control.
A cast of animal characters in resonance with the hidden rhythms of the world amongst shadows of man’s invasion upon this natural harmony — an assault rifle, an army helmet floating in the fountain pool, bullets strewn on the ground.
This masterpiece using various cotton and silk thread techniques, metallic bullion and 3D elements took 7000 hours to complete.
