Keshav Prasad thesis exhibition: 'Revelations of Food and History'

Presenting his master’s thesis exhibition Revelations of Food and History, Keshav Prasad (M.F.A. painting) delves into the ways history persists in the present and informs the future, with a focus on the cultural and metaphorical power of food. Through expressive, gestural yet representational drawings and paintings, which echo the styles of Old Master works, Prasad intertwines historical narratives from India and beyond with moments that are timeless and shared today, such as friends gathering around a meal. This body of work spans reimagined portraits of legendary figures, depictions of epic battles and traumatic events, scenes of colonial-era trade sites, and illustrations of traditional rituals. Consistently across these works, food emerges as both a source of conflict and connection, as well as a potent symbol of memory, transformation, and identity. By merging past and present, Prasad’s works offer poignant revelations about the histories we inherit and repeat, as well as the futures we individually and collectively shape.