AQI vs Golden Ratio functions as a quiet yet pointed pun on the polluted skies we continue to inherit and normalize in this so-called aspiring, ambitious, and ideal city. The work came into being spontaneously, after Pratap had completed all the pieces for his solo exhibition.

As he cleared his palette, he mixed together the leftover colours from several works. Ironically—and somewhat sadly—the resulting mixture formed a tertiary, muddy tone that closely resembled the colour of the sky as seen from Pratap’s studio terrace. This accidental match became the catalyst for the work, reflecting the residue of both artistic process and environmental neglect.

Using these subdued and pensive tones, the artist constructed an “ideal” landscape. The composition is structured using the Golden Ratio, a foundational principle taught early in art education and commonly employed in design to suggest harmony, balance, and beauty. In this context, however, the promise of an ideal proportion feels uneasy. The idea of order and perfection is placed against a polluted atmosphere, highlighting the gap between our ideals and our lived reality.