Manifesting the songs of tribal legends in visual narrative expression
It’s a fact. Jangarh Singh Shyam (1962 – 2001) transcended the Indian art of the Pardhan Gond community. A leading figure in Gond art, he was the initiator of a new movement of art, the Jangarh Kalam. What sets him apart is his ability to transform the ancestral art of singing Gond legends into a visual format, creating a unique style: Jangarh Kalam. The artist’s style is a subtle blend of animist and contemporary art. The vibrant power of his works lies in the artist’s ability to echo the primordial forces of nature, as recounted in the music of the Gond, and to manifest them in a visual narrative.
Thus, throughout his paintings, we find constant themes depicting Gond divinities such as Thakur Dev, Bada Deo, Kalsahin Devi and many others. His artworks are also inhabited by the animal world: the portraits of tigers, antelopes, deers or snakes alone open the door to tales of legends and convey to us the knowledge of a forgotten world. They take us on a powerful sensory journey to encounter the secret forces of life.
His work has been exhibited all over the world, notably in Bhopal, Delhi, Tokyo, Paris and New York. His most notable exhibitions include ‘Magiciens de la terre’, held in Paris (1989) at the Centre Pompidou, and ‘Other Masters’, curated by Jyotindra Jain at the Crafts Museum in New Delhi (1998). Recognition and fame were not long in coming for this artist, who distinguished himself at an early age: in 1986, just five years after being spotted for his talent, the twenty-six-year-old artist was awarded the Shikhar Samman (the Summit Prize), the highest civilian distinction awarded by the government of Madhya Pradesh.
Jangarh Singh Shyam, who died suddenly at the age of just 39, leaves behind him a legacy that has enriched both the contemporary Indian art scene and more generally, contemporary art history : with Jangarh Kalam, he has created a new way to offer a visual identity to the musical tradition of Gond tribal art.
For more information on the life and works of Jangarh Singh Shyam: https://www.artisera.com/blogs/expressions/jangarh-singh-shyam-a-gond-art-legend-and-symbol-of-the-struggle-of-indigenous-artists; https://blog.saffronart.com/2020/12/05/the-art-of-jangarh-singh-shyam/amp/ and https://www.fondationcartier.com/en/collection/artworks/deer-antler
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