Page 131 - Iconic Master

Lot No. 72

JANGARH SINGH SHYAM

1962-2001
UNTITLED
44.5 x 79 in (113 x 206.7 cm)
Acrylic on canvas
1996
Signed & Dated: Bottom Centre
` 40,00,000 - 50,00,000 | $ 50,000 - 62,500
Provenance: Property from an international collection

Born in 1962, Jangarh Singh Shyam belonged to
the Gond community of Mandla district in Madhya
Pradesh. In 1981, when Jangarh was just 16
years old, artist J Swaminathan discovered his
talent and brought him to work at Bharat Bhavan
in Bhopal. It was here that Jangarh developed
his unique style, a brilliant fusion of tribal art and
modern contemporary influences. After relocating
to Bhopal, he perfected his craft, becoming
a master in both brush and pen paintings.

Jangarh’s work reflects the innocent and unspoilt
vision of the tribal mind, executed with the
assuredness of a creative genius. Some of his
most well-known paintings include images of a
leaping tiger, deities from the tribal pantheon, and
representations of birds and peacocks. His paintings
are full of movement and vibrancy, depicting a
world populated by gods, goddesses, birds, animals,
and trees. With each stroke, Jangarh created a
distinctive textural pattern that lent his works a
sense of repetition and depth. His artwork seemed to
summon his forest companions from his earlier life,
bringing them to life on canvas in an effort to ward
off the phantoms of the city. Village deities such as
Bagh Dev and Marahi Dev often appeared in his
works, staring down the viewer, perhaps as a form of
spiritual protection.