C.K Rajan makes a,lot of politically charged collages. Many of these were created in the 1990s out of clippings from mass-circulation Indian newspapers and magazines, they also dealt with the disruptions caused by the rapid expansion of Indian cities and the nation's economy.

One of the most intriguing set of works in the “Spy” show curated by Bose Krishnamachari and presented by was by C K Rajan. Here Rajan creates small format collages, mostly by cutting out images from magazines and newspapers, sticking pieces of them where needed, making a subtle (and yet, glaringly obvious) point in each of them. These small format works could be a comic strip, the largest looking like a big cell out of a comic book, with characters inside it to tell you stories through images. The comparison is possibly sought, considering that Rajan not only has speech-bubbles (filled with angry retorts and lament, and quotes from people we should know of), but the small collages bring to mind the comic section of Sunday newspapers when the broadsheet was bigger than its current sleek look. The framing of the work looks elaborate, the embellished frame adding to the creation of a work of art, as opposed to clever collages we all did in craft class.

One of C.K's works comprised of writing the names of a host of students of J.N.U. on small stone pieces, especially of the students from the "School of Arts and Aesthetics". Resembling an almost ritualistic motif the stones were dipped in black paint and allowed to dry. Intricate names were painted on the stones with silver paint. The stones were placed on the base of a flagstaff. 

C K Rajan is a Kerala-born artist who now lives in Hyderabad.

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