Important Notice

Bhubaneswar-born artist Jagannath Panda uses birds and animals in his work to explore the collision of the natural world with the manmade, and human encroachment on their territory. Often, these protagonists are also metaphorical extensions of human psychology and behaviour. Larger-than-life, at times of a predatory disposition, as seen in the present lot, they symbolise the power structures and injustices prevalent within society and our... Bhubaneswar-born artist Jagannath Panda uses birds and animals in his work to explore the collision of the natural world with the manmade, and human encroachment on their territory. Often, these protagonists are also metaphorical extensions of human psychology and behaviour. Larger-than-life, at times of a predatory disposition, as seen in the present lot, they symbolise the power structures and injustices prevalent within society and our rapidly changing cities. "By using animals as his protagonists, Panda alludes to a desired circularity where the reciprocal influence between the cultures of the powerful and the subordinate can be at balance." (Peter Nagy, Jagannath Panda: Nothing is Solid, Mumbai: Chemould Prescott Road, 2007)

Panda's recent works are constructed as dramatic textured collages, where the fragmentation of stories and identities is reminiscent of the dislocation experienced in urban life. "When I use this diverse imagery in one place, it's creating a question, a dialogue between something we've forgotten or something we are about to make... and [it] create[s] another reality." (Artist quoted on bringhomestories.com, 2017) Using shiny fabrics that appear like metal, Panda attempts to emphasise the material transformation and temporal nature of urban spaces. "You will always see fabric as a soft and pliable material, but in my works, you will see how it has been transformed. Just like a city that can be developed into anything we want it to be, fabric too is malleable in nature and can be moulded into anything. This characteristic was vital to represent it as a fossilized element."

Read More
Artist Profile
Other works of this artist in: this auction  |  entire site