Echoes of the Land

Fantastic Beasts – Second Edition

For our 40th issue of Spotlight, we’re revisiting a theme we first explored back in 2019: the magnificent beasts who have charmed us with their form and spirit over the ages.

Echoes of the Land – Virtual exhibition

Sarmaya’s first exhibition in Delhi is now online! Experience the sights and sounds of ‘Echoes of the Land’ as it was staged at Ojas Art in Nov 2022

Tunnel Vision – An environmental history of Indian Railways

From its start in the 19th Century, Indian Railways played a pivotal role in the trade, economy and culture of the Subcontinent. But how did the arrival of trains impact our country’s ecology?

Untitled

This composition is an Untitled piece by Gopa Trivedi (b.1987) made from Gouache and Silver foil on Wasli. This work is inspired by a Hindi poem by Pash, the pen-name of Avtar Singh Sandhu. मैं घास हूँ (I am grass) is an anthem of dissent. In Gopa Trivedi’s painting, the gradual progress of the grass… Read more »

The Canopy

This composition is a 23 carat gold on paper titled ‘The Canopy’ by Jethro Buck (b. 1986). Jethro Buck attempts to draw our attention away from ourselves and into a contemplation of treetops and the limitless space beyond. Through the canopy, we get a glimpse at the profound infinity of the universe. To the artist,… Read more »

Kansari (Goddess of Seeds)

This Warli artwork titled ‘Kansari’ is by Tushar Vayeda (b.1987) and Mayur Vayeda (b.1992), artists based in Ganjad, Maharashtra. The Warli way of life is the way of the forest. The spirits worshipped by the tribe are personifications of natural phenomena. One such spirit is the subject of Tushar and Mayur Vayeda’s painting, Kansari, named… Read more »

The Wave

This Warli artwork titled ‘The Wave’ is by Tushar Vayeda (b.1987) and Mayur Vayeda (b.1992), artists based in Ganjad, Maharashtra. Tushar and Mayur Vayeda retell a Warli legend in this work. There’s a belief in the community that in each life cycle of the earth, waves of natural and man-made disasters will strike until eventually,… Read more »

Untitled (Kerala Flood)

This composition is a 2018 ‘Untitled’ work in gouache on Japanese paper by Dibin K. Thilakan (b. 1989). Created after the catastrophic 2018 Kerala floods, Dibin Thilakan’s painting obscures boundaries between land and water. The floods caused widespread displacement and damage across the state. While he highlights the helplessness of the average citizen awaiting relief… Read more »

Untitled

This composition is an Untitled work by Gopa Trivedi (b. 1987) made from gold and graphite on wasli. Gopa Trivedi’s work illuminates our individual and collective anxieties about a slow degradation eating at the ground beneath our feet. The stork in this composition symbolises apathy. Gopa is inspired by Indian miniature painting traditions to create… Read more »

Somewhere in Northeast India Pt-I

This woodcut print by Chandan Bez Baruah (b. 1979) is titled ‘Somewhere in Northeast India Pt-I’ and was created in 2020. The desolation of Chandan Bez Baruah’s landscape speaks volumes. It bears witness to an ecosystem brutalised by rampant urbanisation. To the artist, there’s a close link between the collapsing of natural and political diversities… Read more »

Ploughing (Hal Chalana)

This Bhil painting titled Ploughing (Hal Chalana), is an acrylic on canvas work, made by artist Subhash Amliyar (b.1985) For the Bhil tribe of Madhya Pradesh, art is a device for marking events, preserving memories and capturing the community’s deep connection with nature. In Subhash Amliyar’s composition, a figure reminiscent of Lord Ganesha is seen… Read more »

Transport Series (Train I-V)

This Gond-Pardhan painting (set of 5 panels) titled the ‘Transport Series (Train I-V)’ is an acrylic on canvas work, made by artist Mayank Shyam (b. 1987) Mayank Shyam is from the Gond-Pradhan community in Madhya Pradesh. His art is never purely observational. Behind each painting is a philosophy, message or story. In the Transport series, he draws… Read more »

Transport series (Plane I-V)

This Gond-Pardhan painting (set of 5 panels) titled the ‘Transport Series (Plane I-V)’ is an acrylic on canvas work, made by artist Mayank Shyam (b. 1987) Mayank Shyam is from the Gond-Pradhan community in Madhya Pradesh. His art is never purely observational. Behind each painting is a philosophy, message or story. In the Transport series,… Read more »

Untitled (Tree of Life)

The Untitled Gond-Pardhan painting is a Gouache and ink on paper work, made by artist Durgabai Vyam (b. 1972) The Mahua is considered the tree of life among the Gond-Pradhans of Madhya Pradesh. It plays a central role in the rituals and ceremonies of the community. Durga Bai Vyam conveys this bond in her Untitled work.… Read more »

Untitled (Mahadev ka Netra)

The Untitled Gond-Pardhan painting is an acrylic on paper work, made by artist Sukhnandi Vyam (b. 1983) To see the world as it really is, our eyes must first be ‘awakened’ to enlightenment. Sukhnandi Vyam explores this idea using his signature motif of human eyes, which surround the omniscient third eye of Lord Shiva. In the… Read more »