Myths in Modern Avtar on Canvas

Man has created myths and has been influenced by them all through history, shaping various facets of life– culture, religion, politics and social structure, while engendering creativity. Through ‘The Personal Is Mythical ‘, art show at New Delhi’s Latitude 28 gallery three artists have attempted to capture on the canvas various aspects of modern life by engaging with myths for storytelling, the age-old literary device.

Celebrated Gond artist, Shyam, using traditional tribal painting style, brings to life important contemporary issues. His two works -- ‘Dera Khoj’ and ‘Dongar’ – both emphatically underline the need to conserve nature and wildlife. The former shows different types of animals along with trees and hutments, all on the move forced to search for new pastures following their displacement by the march of ‘development’.

Talking to First Draft, Shyam explains: “Dera is home, and the title means search for home. This happens when Adivasis and animals are displaced for making dams, roads and mining, all signifying development and progress.”

That ‘dera’ means more than a home is obvious. “Yes. It symbolizes heritage, traditions, culture, and legacy spanning over generations and, for Adivasis rooted to the land, to relocate elsewhere is extremely difficult. The same is the case for animals and birds like, elephant, fox, owl, deer, and snake,” Shyam says further.

‘Dongar’, which means hills, portrays the ecosystem sustained in the forest located there. “For Gonds, hills are sacred and when they are destroyed for construction, logging and mining, it adversely affects all those living there, including humans and animals,” Shyam adds. Highlighting a Gond tradition, Shyam’s ‘Neg dan’ (Jhapi) depicts the custom of the groom’s family giving gifts to the bride’s side in a bamboo basket. This exquisite work shows a basket with the upper half displaying clothes, jewellery, musical instruments and other necessities of life. Placed in the lower half are miniature replicas of plough, cows, baskets, hen, etc, all of which are vital parts of daily life. The lid has two beautiful animal motifs, the lower portion exhibits two fish.

“The use of bamboo is significant as it is considered feminine. The basket is opened in the presence of the family members of the groom and bride and other guests. It is not dowry, it is a gesture welcoming the girl to the family,” explains Shyam. Different colours have been used for the two halves of the basket, providing a stunning contrast.

Shyam’s two black and white artworks, ‘Hawa’ and ‘Gaj Rukhwa’, are also noteworthy. In the first, a swarm of small bees is shown forming a gigantic shape that looks like a hurricane. It manifests how small beings in unison can create something huge! The latter piece portrays a huge tree with elephant trunks as branches and small calves as leaves.Sahai’s artworks at the show are from her two series, ‘Fish Woman’ and Divine’. 

Describing her work as “autobiographical in nature”, she says: “I have always been drawn towards surrealism.” Her paintings, “Mrs. Chatterjee” and “Vahbiz Furniturewala” show a lady draped in a lovely sari, wearing a pearl necklace and sitting on stylish furniture with a book. What catches the viewer’s immediate attention is the face – it is that of a fish. This is because of Sahai’s belief that in her previous life, she was a fish.

Talking to First Draft Sahai, says: “I paint who I am, I am an old soul, I live a slow, unhurried life, I love jazz and old 50s and 60s Hindi cinema music, if I am not painting, you can find me reading for days and days without leaving my house. I try to bring the same onto my canvas.” From the Divine series are displayed two paintings, namely, “Maa Lakshmi” and “Maa Saraswati”, both inspired by the Rococo art movement. Sharing details about them, Sahai says: “Whenever I see a Rococo artwork, the first thing that comes to mind is what if our Devis were painted during the Rococo art movement and, hence, I painted the series. The softness, the elegance of Rococo is something I tried to depict on canvas.”

There are subtle touches in the two works. In “Maa Lakshmi”, no coins fall from the Goddess’s palm, but around her is a golden outline, symbolizing prosperity. The other painting shows the deity of knowledge with a colour palette. Lightness, elegance and elaborate ornamentation are the main features of this art form.

Works by Khanna are vastly different. We see a single person or more, all vividly showing diverse emotions – contemplative, camaraderie, joy, and pensiveness. When asked whose faces were portrayed by him, Khanna tells First Draft: “The images I use as references are often found on social media — people posing, performing, curating versions of themselves. I am interested in how we all construct idealized identities online, presenting lives that appear perfect, polished, and complete. Platforms like Instagram become the first point of reference for who we are, yet they conceal more than they reveal. These portraits explore that tension — between the seen and unseen, the performed and the personal.”

Sharing how he makes these works, he says: “I work with the — tracing paper used in embroidery, marked with punched needle holes made by a master. Traditionally, this paper is used with oil and powder to transfer designs onto fabric. I have adapted the process to canvas, pushing acrylic paint through the perforations to leave behind textured, fragmented impressions. I then paint within these marks to gradually build up portraits.”

(On view till August 18 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Saturday at Latitude 28, Lado Sarai, New Delhi)