With COVID-19 showing us the true picture of what we have made of the world, a tribal artist points us to the direction of where we got it all wrong. Venkat Singh Shyam, through his latest solo show, albeit online given the times, titled, Aranya: A Forest Story, reminds us to build a sustainable future together. You can view his works at www.ampasartgallery.com
Flora and fauna, lines and dots, the vivid artworks reflect narratives from folklores. The nephew of acclaimed artist Jhangarh Singh Shyam, Venkat too shows us masterful imagery. In a conversation with The Morning Standard, he talks about stability.
“Stability is an important aspect of a tribal’s life because the artist has believed in tradition. Similarly, during difficult times the faith of a tribal person doesn’t get disturbed,” says Venkat.
He further adds that due to tribes’ relationship with nature, the problems are never too big for them.
“A native trusts the nature and his relationship with the natural beings. His friendship with the nature keeps him going, offers stability and hence becomes the main motivation in his life.”
According to curator Lina Vincent, the precariousness of the world’s industrial and capitalist systems was never more visible than with the impact of the COVID19 virus. And Venkat’s paintings are a lens through which you can imagine a more respectful and sustainable relationship with nature’s resources; a reminder that change is possible.
“As an artist deeply embedded within a tradition of nature veneration, Venkat’s vivid and intricately patterned paintings describe protagonists from a forest world. Symbolically representing balance, the images express both the benevolence and harshness of our environment, honouring interdependence of all beings and acknowledging nature’s resilience under the threat of human interference,” she adds.