Abbas Batliwala

This painting by Abbas Batiwala presents a surreal and symbolic scene where two human figures, one dark brown and the other stark white, are bound together by thin rope-like lines that pull at their bodies and mouths, almost like puppets in tension. The dark figure sits suspended on the left, reaching outward, while the white figure crouches on the right, pulling in the opposite direction, their struggle accentuated by the jagged boundary between light and dark that divides the background. Above them, a large cockroach hovers, introducing a sense of unease and intrusion, while the white figure’s shadow looms darkly behind, reinforcing themes of duality and hidden conflict. Through this interplay of contrast, entanglement, and unsettling imagery, Batliwala creates a mood of struggle, domination, and imbalance, prompting reflections on power, control, and the fragile boundary between purity and decay.