Page 51 - AstaGuru Modern Odyssey

Lot No. 34
J SWAMINATHAN

1928-1994
BIRD, MOUNTAIN, TREE
30 x 20 in (76.2 x 50.8 cm)
Oil on canvas
1986
Signed & Dated: Verso

` 50,00,000 – 70,00,000 | $ 60,976 – 85,366
Provenance: Property from a collection based in New Delhi.

Jagdish Swaminathan’s ‘Bird, Mountain, Tree’ showcases
the artist’s revolutionary approach to painting and his deep
exploration of the interplay between space, time, and
spirituality. The series, characterized by its iconic dual signifiers
of birds and mountains, transcends traditional boundaries,
inviting viewers into a two-dimensional cosmos that is both
meditative and metaphorical.

In these works, Swaminathan’s surrealist vision unfolds
with a magnetic pull, defying gravity and releasing viewers’
thoughts on a levitating flight. The untitled oil on canvas from
1986, a pivotal piece in the series, showcases Swaminathan’s
structured ideology and the culmination of his exploration
into the relationship between space and time. The painting’s
placid elevated surface of colour, infused with the momentum
of thoughts, reflects shattered spatial spaces, offering a silent
existence of a frequency that penetrates the senses.

Jagdish Swaminathan made his contributions as an artist,
writer, as well as an activist. Throughout his artistic journey, he
delved into the realms of colour, geometry and symbolism. His
unwavering conviction in the significance, and even supremacy,
of folk and tribal art found expression not just within his creative
work, wherewith he would frequently incorporate motifs with
tribal linkage; but also through his relentless endeavours to
champion these art traditions while he was the director of
Roopanker art museum in Bhopal. This distinct perspective
set J Swaminathan apart from his peers, who frequently drew
inspiration from Western sources, highlighting his innovative
ideas as a defining characteristic of his legacy.