Fascination for urbanisation

Often people lament the transition of simple, peaceful, scenic villages into bustling cities; here’s an artist who is fascinated by the transition. Jagannath Panda captures his “fascination for the phenomenon of urbanisation” in Crystal Cities. The artist who’s been painting for almost 22 years, does solo shows as well as participates in group shows, is back with his solo show after a hiatus of seven years. The collection is a mixed bag of paintings and wall installations.

Early life

Delhi-based Panda was born and brought up in Bhubaneshwar, Orissa, did his BFA (Bachelor of Fine Arts) from B K College of Art & Craft, Bhubaneshwar in 1991 and MFA (Master of Fine Arts) from M S University, Baroda, in 1994. After this, he moved to Delhi. He also dabbled as a visiting researcher at Fukuoka University of Education, Fukuoka, Japan in 1997. He completed MFA in Sculpture from Royal College of Arts London in 2002. The 47-year-old is also a recipient of the Lalit Kala Akademi Research Fellowship, Orissa State Lalit Kala Akademi Scholarship, and Junior Research Fellowship, Government of India and has many more achievements to his credit. During his seven-year hiatus, he started a foundation to support upcoming artists and community art projects.   

Crystal Cities

For the past five to 10 years, Jagannath has observed organisation, migration, ecology and the ever changing nature of urbanisation. Utilising simple and seemingly direct imageries in a naturalistic manner, Panda has explored his concerns with urbanisation and dislocation, social and economic injustice, and shifts in cultural paradigms today. He’s borrowed references from history, real experiences, people and animals too. Even the animals here, appear in a humanised version displaying human psychology and behaviour. Despite drawing inspiration from the urbanisation phenomenon, Crystal Cities doesn’t depict any city in particular. “I’ve explored the dichotomy of nature, culture, rural and urbanisation contributing to the constant change occurs. I’ve used watercolours, oil colours, papier mache, metal, iron, plastic, broken/discarded toys — plastic dolls, etc in this show,” says Jagannath, whose earlier works were figurative, and now is an amalgamation of figurative and the abstract. He describes his process as that of alchemy, where he takes pre-existing objects, materials and images, to produce almost fantastical or morphed kind of spaces. Crystal Cities offers its audience a multitude of perspectives, from the past to the present. One can see the past, traditions and as well a scientific side.

Favourite artists

Jagannath admires a number of artists, both foreign and Indian, and mentions in particular, the French-American artist Louise Bourgeois, for the kind of material she used in large-scale sculptures and installation art, conceptual artist Onkar Karon and surrealist artist Salvador Dali. Among Indian artists, he likes the works of Sudarshan Shetty, Surendran Nair and last but not the least, Atul Dodiya, for his style of telling stories. Panda says that new artists present numerous possibilities and one can see the dynamism in their work and therefore, they should be given support by institutions and the government so that they can showcase a new India to the world.

What art means to him...

Panda’s father, a former temple priest who later took up a government job, wanted him to become a teacher but nonetheless, supported his son wholeheartedly to pursue art. The artist began drawing during his teens, being inspired by image makers of Lord Ganesha and goddess Saraswati. And so, if he didn’t become an artist, Jagannath would have become a teacher instead. For him, art provides a sense of joy as well as create a sense of intrigue.

WHEN: Till September 12
WHERE: Vadehra Art Gallery, D 49, Defence Colony, New Delhi